The Girl with the Stone
by AllISeeAreStars
Summary: Dove Potter has thus far lived an unremarkable life with her abusive family until Fate intervenes. Now she's off to Hogwarts and meets new friends, but maybe she was safer back in Surrey.
1. Girl

Chapter One: Girl

 _He could feel everyone's eyes but hers until the end. After a moment of pause she looked up him with those big green eyes, full of love and happiness.  
"You can let go now, Daddy." She whispered to him, and he was thrown back to eight years before.__

*DPDPDPDPDP*

Dove Potter woke up with a start at her aunt's insistent rapping. "Up! Get up! Now!" She screeched through the vent. Dove fell back onto her cot with a sigh, trying to remember every detail to her wondrously strange and yet strangely familiar dream she'd had. A motorcycle flying in the night over a raging sea. Now she wanted to paint- see if she could capture the light and the feel. It felt so real she was sure she could taste the salt. She emerged from her cupboard in her nightclothes, consisting of a large, ragged T shirt and baggy pants that swallowed her small frame whole. Around the breakfast table was a mountain of bright and carefully wrapped gifts for her cousin, Dudley's birthday. _Maybe_ , she thought to herself. _Maybe one day there'll be one for me._

There was a dark cloud of smoke escaping the kitchen from where her aunt had started breakfast, or tried to anyway, and Dove was brought back with the overwhelming stench of burning bacon. Her heart seized with fear and she rushed to move the pan and turn the spider off, splattering hot grease on her arms and making her yelp. "GIRL!" There was a rumbling as her Uncle Vernon came into the kitchen and yanked her to him painfully. He yelled, spitting with each word. "Look what you've done, you worthless thing! You get no food today. We take you in and _this_ is the thanks I get?"

"Please, Uncle Vernon, I didn't mean to it. It was an accident. Please, I'm sorry." Next, Dove was on the floor holding the already bruising cheek. This was nowhere near the first time they'd been violent toward her, Dudley himself made a game of using her for a punching bag, but it was never somewhere that could be visible. She supposed it was to be expected today. Today was the annual outing where the Dursley's and their monstrous son's friends went somewhere special for his birthday: an adventure park, bowling, roller-skating, or last year's cruise to Norway where she was with Mrs. Figg for an entire Dursley free week. This year was to be the zoo and Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, leaving the Dursley's forced to take her with them. Uncle Vernon picked her up to her feet by her arm, leaving more bruises, and pushed her toward her cupboard.  
"Comb your hair," he barked.

*DPDPDPDPDP*

Neither were aware of the two pairs of eyes watching the scene with interest; one a twinkling, calculating blue, and the other a furious black. The latter watched the young girl scramble to her "room" and tug a broken brush through her long tangles. She had long black hair that fell in cascades to the small of her back, knobby knees, and big, vibrant green eyes hidden under thick, long lashes the he found hard to look at. She was small for her age, too small, and littered with more bruises than she should have been. He'd wanted to kill that beefy, smelly man when he struck her, but his companion stopped him. Yes, for now they were only to observe. Intervening and torture could come later.

*DPDPDPDPDP*

Dove was back in the kitchen frying eggs when Dudley and Aunt Petunia came to the breakfast table. Dudley was counting his presents when she set the eggs and new, unburned bacon in the center of the table top.

"Thirty-six," he said with a red face. "But last year- last year I had thirty-seven!"

"Well some of them are quite a bit bigger than last year," Uncle Vernon supplied.

"I don't care how big they are!"

Aunt Petunia quickly tried to diffuse the situation. "Well what we're going to do is, when we go out we're going to get you two _new_ presents. How's that, popkin?"

The pompous doorbell rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it as Dudley piled an exorbitant amount of food onto his plate, eating bites between unwrapping presents. Sometimes Dove would imagine getting one and it being a dress like she'd see other girls wear. All her clothes were Dudley's that he'd torn or outgrown, and he was a good four times her size. Piers Polkiss, a scrawny fried of Dudley's with a rat face came in then and handed him a crudely wrapped box.

"I'm warning you," Uncle Vernon said lowly as Dudley and Piers got into the back seat, "any funny business and you'll wish you had died with your freaky parents."

"Too late," she couldn't help but whisper rebelliously. His hand flew up and she flinched, but felt nothing. He smirked at her fear and struggled into the driver's seat. The problem was, things just happened around Dove, but no matter how she tried they never listened or believed when she told them it was an accident.

It was a very bright Sunday and the zoo was overrun with screaming children and underappreciated parents who just wanted the day to end as quick and painless as possible. Dove was very careful to walk a few feet away from the Dursley's and call as little attention to herself as she could manage. The animals around her were awe-inspiring and neither the Dursley's nor her scratched and broken glasses could stifle her fun. When Dudley and Piers were given chocolate ice cream and the lady asked her what _she_ would like. Aunt Petunia bitterly got her a lemon pop. She would swear it was the best thing she'd ever tasted. Her favorite animal was the painted dog, whose epitaph said they were social animals and very protective of their pack. It sounded nice, to belong to a pack.

After lunch, where Uncle Vernon let her have Dudley's leftovers, they moved to the reptile house. Dudley and Piers went from tank to tank, pressing their ugly faces in on the poor inhabitants. When they came upon a particularly large chamber, the snake was seemingly asleep, which did not go over well with her cousin.

"Make it move," he whined. Uncle Vernon tapped the glass, and Dudley rattled it violently, but it did not budge. "This is boring!" Dudley moaned before running off to his next victim. Dove slid over to see the sleeping reptile.

"I'm sorry about him," she said. "He doesn't understand what it's like, living only as a convenience to others. You mustn't hold it against him."

The snake, a boa constrictor, lifted his head to her level as though to listen. She smiled at it, "Brazilian, did you like it there?"

He nodded to the sign again; bred in captivity. "Oh, I'm sorry. So, you've never been?" It shook its head.

"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" Dudley waddled towards them as fast as he could.

"Out of the way, you." He said as he shoved Dove to the concrete floor where she skinned her palms. Then it happened as she glared at the two boys, so fast she wasn't entirely sure of what she saw; the glass vanished. Behind her she heard a deep, but quiet, chuckle where there was nothing but space. Her snake friend uncoiled and slithered out, snapping at Dudley and Piers teasingly, and scaring everyone in the reptile room into a mad panic. He stopped at her, "Brazil, here I come . . . thanks, amiga."

"Anytime," she breathed.

Dudley and Piers began telling their stories immediately- their narrow escape, how the vicious monster tried to kill them, and how heroically they stood their ground against it. Strangely, they skipped the part where they hid behind Aunt Petunia's skirts. "But you were talking to it weren't you, Dove?" Everyone looked at her when Piers said that, but Uncle Vernon waited until they'd dropped Piers off at home before he dragged her to the cupboard by her hair and threw her in.

"Get your hands on the wall, girl." He growled low. Terrified she complied, hearing the telltale jingle of her whalish uncle undoing his thick, leather belt. She hung her head and tried to brace herself as best she could, unaware of the struggle going on a few feet away under an Invisibility Cloak. The first slap of the belt on her back nearly made her knees buckle, the second nearly made her scream- but she refused to give him the satisfaction. Until the tenth when he succeeded and Dove gave out a sharp cry. She could feel the blood on her back and the tears on her face. She heard a strangled sound from her uncle and turned around to see a very tall, dark haired man holding her uncle by the throat with an expression like grim death. He looked angrier than she'd ever seen anyone, so angry he was shaking. He pulled her uncle's face close to his and whispered dangerously low, "I think not."

And then nothing.


	2. Angel

Chapter two: Angel

 _She was floating, somewhere warm and light, and someone else was there. The woman was pretty with long red hair and green eyes, wide with fear. She was screaming something, but there was no sound. There was a flash of green light, two flashes and a sharp pain, and she was bathed in darkness again._

*DPDPDPDPDP*

Dove jerked into an upright position, gasping for air and in pain. She'd had this dream before, and every time it ended the same way. It took Dove a few moments before she realized she wasn't on her cot, but instead on an extremely comfortable bed in a room of a dozen other identical beds. The memories from the day before flooded her and made her head hurt with the light coming from the windows.

"How do you feel?" A deep voice to her left asked gently. She jumped and looked over to the man beside the bed. It was the one who stopped Uncle Vernon. He had greasy shoulder length black hair, sallow skin, a lanky build, and in the too bright light and his billowing robes he looked like an angel. Dove stared at him in fascination and awe. He cleared his throat and she looked away. Freaks didn't look at people directly, their betters. "I asked you a question, Dove."

"How do you know my name?" She asked before flinching. Freaks didn't ask questions either. Her angel did not hit her, but instead sat on the edge of her bed.

"Let's do a tradeoff." He said. "I'll answer your question if you answer mine. Does that sound fair?"

It did sound fair, fairer than anyone had ever been to her before, but she wasn't positive she should tell the truth. Freaks shouldn't complain as they deserved what they got, and he'd already been so kind she didn't want to ruin it. Dove looked around for any sign of what she should do.

"Just answer honestly," her angel said as though reading her mind.

"My back and head hurts," she admitted quietly.

He nodded his head, having expected this answer, and rummaged through his robes to pull out her glasses and a glass vial. She put the glasses on, but didn't know what to do with the other. "Drink it," he told her. "It will help with the pain."

She hesitantly did as he asked and immediately felt the relief. "You haven't answered _my_ question."

"Well spotted." He replied with a smirk. "I know your name because I knew your mother."

Dove straightened, never having heard anything even remotely polite about her parents. And even what she did hear was scarce. Her parents died in a car crash where she got her strange scar, her father was a drunken bum. That was all. She didn't even know what they looked like or their names. She didn't even know her own name until she went to school. "Really?"

He nodded. "We were friends and we went to school together."

She whispered, "What was her name?"

"Lily." He whispered back.

"What's _your_ name?"

"My name is Severus Snape."

"Where are we, Severus Snape?"

The man tilted his head to the side at the young girl who looked and acted so much like Her. She too was always so curious about everything. "Hogwarts," he said the word just as he had those twenty odd years ago. He watched her cross her arms and suck in her bottom lip, just as She used to when he had exasperated her.

"Are you coy on purpose or do you honestly refuse to tell me what's going on?"

"Where does an eleven-year-old learn the word 'coy'?"

"Where does an adult learn to be so obstinate?"

"I'm an adult, it's in the job description." He replied, rather amused. Coy? Obstinate? He wasn't sure whether he should laugh or be impressed. He almost chose to laugh because of how serious her face was. "Hogwarts was the school your parents and I went to for special people."

"What kind of special people?"

"People who can do magic."

Dove went rigid. He said the 'm' word. "Are you a freak like me?"

"You are not a freak." He said sternly.

"Are you an angel?"

He almost didn't hear her, she asked it so quietly. "No," he told her. "I'm your godfather." She didn't say anything so he went on to explain. "A godfather is someone who- "

"I know what a godfather is."

"Oh."

"Where were you?"

Again, he almost didn't hear her, but he did and it made his chest tighten. "I didn't know. No one knew until recently when a hidden piece of your parent's will was found. Both of your parents chose a set of godparents for you. Your mother chose me."

"Does this mean I can visit you?"

"Would you want to?" He asked curiously.

"I like you well enough and I would like to learn more about my parents." She said very matter of fact. "Plus, it would give me a break from the Dursley's."

"Then I must apologize as you misunderstand me entirely." She drooped. "You will never see the Dursley's again as long as I will help it."

"Then where will I go?"

"You will be living with me," he stated. "The Headmaster should be here soon with the adoption papers from the Ministry."

"Then, I'll belong to you? With you?"

"I will take care of and be responsible for you, yes." She would be a part of a family. Maybe he would let her sit with him in the evenings before she went to sleep in whatever cupboard would be hers. Maybe. Dove smiled at him and he surprised himself by smiling back as the door opened and a commanding presence entered the room in purple robes. Her angel, Severus, stood up as soon as he saw who it was, so Dove sat up as straight as she could manage.

"Ah! You are awake, m'dear," he said. She looked to her angel-no- _Severus_ , and at his nod she answered.

"Yes, sir. Good morning."

"And such wonderful manners too. Unfortunately, we haven't the time for such pleasantries as there is much to discuss. I understand you know next to nothing of your parents and their world."

"No, sir. I only just now learned my mother's name. I don't even know what they looked like, just that they died in a car crash after my father had been drinking."

"CAR CRASH! Car crash killed Lily and James Potter?" A new voice boomed and a giant joined the group at her bed. Dove scooted back away from him and grabbed Severus' hand. An act that did not go unnoticed by the Headmaster, or unappreciated by the man who's hand she was crushing so trustfully. "It's an outrage! A scandal!"

"Dove, this is Hagrid. He was a friend of your parents and he's the keeper of keys and grounds here at Hogwarts."

"Haven't seen you since you were a baby, Dove. You look jus like Lily. 'Cept the hair o' course. Thas all James." So her father's name was James, and he had black, troublesome hair.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Hagrid." She smiled.

"Back to the earlier conversation," the man in purple robes, Dumble-something, said. "Your parents were not killed in a car crash or anything of the sort."

Her Severus sat beside her again. "Perhaps, Albus, we ought to tell her more about the Wizarding World first. She doesn't know anything about it. You saw the scene at the zoo."

"You both saw that?" She asked quietly, dejected. Of course they wouldn't want her now that they knew she was a freak, which was saddening as she already automatically loved each of the people she'd met. Especially her Severus.

"It was fairly impressive for accidental magic," Severus told her. "I once set my dinner on fire because I didn't like it."

"Really?" She asked, interested that she wasn't the only one. "What else?"

"Well now I can do all sorts of things. Things you will learn come September when you come to Hogwarts with all the other young witches and wizards."

"No, I-I can't be a witch. I'm just me. Just Dove."

"Then, Just Dove, how do you explain the incident at the zoo with the snake?"

"That was just an accident." She said softly, but starting to understand. Sort of.

"Think of the wonderful things you could do if you tried." The man in the beard said. Professor Dumbledore, Severus reminded her. "But first, Miss Potter, you should learn a few things that others will already know."

Her head was swimming and she was so hungry she was weak. What if she couldn't do what they wanted? She had never done anything like that on _purpose_ , she would never! Severus must have seen this. "Let's get her some food first, Albus, and we can explain better while she eats. Though, not too much at one time I think." He snapped his fingers and a creature in a towel toga appeared with a _Pop!_ -a short thing with a big head, huge floppy ears, and wide eyes. "Bring up a tray please, Zara, something light. Porridge perhaps, some toast, a glass of pumpkin juice and maybe some fruit."

*DPDPDPDPDP*

"That, Dove," he said after she had a feast in front of her. "was a house-elf. They are usually bound to whomever their owner is until they are presented with proper clothing. However, a lot of elves think of freedom as a punishment and do not want it. That was Zara. She has been with me since I was born and before that she was my mother's. She does not wish to be given clothes. Do you understand?"

"I think so."

"This," Professor Dumbledore said, holding up a knobby stick. "is a wand. A receptacle for using our magic, but some can use it without one."

She had a lot to learn.

*DPDPDPDPDP*

After she was done eating and had a general grasp on Wizarding lingo, though she still wasn't entirely sure she understood _that_ , Severus introduced her to Madame Pomfrey. The mediwitch looked her over one last time before telling her she could leave as her godfather was able to take care of her once they got to his home. Dove was anxious as he had mentioned the two of them working on some of her classwork and readings over the rest of the summer, but nothing about rules or chores or punishments. She had not seen any magic other than Zara and the mediwitch's diagnostic spells, which was mostly just colors and lights, so when Severus told her to step in the fireplace she did not.

"You won't hurt yourself, I promise."

"But there's a fire."

"Would it make you feel better if I did it first?" Without waiting for her answer, he stepped into the fireplace and held out his hand for her to take. She did, hesitantly. He held her tight, threw some sand or something into the fire and said very clearly, "Spinner's End."


	3. Outfitting

Chapter three: Outfitting

They emerged somewhere completely different, in a sitting room kept tidy, but cold and impersonal. Severus stepped out and brushed himself off before doing the same to her.

"This is home," he said. "If you make a mess, clean it. Keep your room clean, be respectful, and if I tell you to do something I don't expect to have to argue with you about it. Am I understood?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, sir. Sir? What should I call you?"

This hadn't actually come to mind during the process of retrieving her from Surrey or talking to her in the infirmary. Though, he had had the traitorous thought that this could have been his daughter had Lily chosen him instead of Potter, but he would not acknowledge that. Draco called him 'Uncle', but he wasn't sure that suited. "I suppose, whatever you want to within reason. Though, at school you will have to address me as 'Professor.'"

"At school?"

"Yes, I teach Potions, so I shall know if you misbehave. I expect you to keep your grades up and act like a young lady. Not a hooligan. Yes?"

"Yes, sir. I'm glad you'll be there." Dove had been nervous, not wanting to be away from her new guardian.

"Well let's go see you to your room. Shall we?"

The room was simple, a queen size bed, a desk, a bookshelf, and a dresser with a mirror. She hugged Severus briefly before letting go and feeling embarrassed. He cleared his throat and gestured to the room. "You can change anything you want to. We'll go shopping tomorrow for clothes and toys and such. Your letter for Hogwarts should come in the morning and we can get your school things as well. I think it might be best if you get some sleep. It's been a long day and it will be another one tomorrow. Do you need anything?" She shook her head. "Well, my room is just down the hall. Don't hesitate to come get me if you need something." And awkwardly, unsure if he should say anything else, he left.

"Malfoy Manor!" Severus called into the fire. "Lucius? Lucius, I need you and Narcissa."

"What is it, Severus? We're busy."

"Put some clothes on and get over here. Now." Five minutes later the Malfoy couple stepped through the fireplace, clothed but disheveled. They were both anxious as their friend rarely called for them through Floo, and even rarer than that demanded their presence together. When they arrived he was pacing back and forth like a caged animal.

"Severus, what's wrong?" Narcissa asked, mothering him as always. He walked to right in front of Lucius, ignoring her.

"When the Dark Lord comes back, will you be loyal to him?" Lucius paled, not having thought of his old master for years outside of nightmares. He looked at his wife.

"No. I made a foolish mistake then, but now I have a family to think of. I will not put my son through what I was put through." Immediately, Severus calmed down and collapsed in his favorite armchair.

"I am so lost." He groaned. "I have, as of today, a new ward. I don't know how to take care of a child. I don't know what it is they need, how to handle them aside from scaring them into submission. I need help."

For a moment the two were shocked into silence. Lucius was the first to recover. "What do you mean you have a new ward? Are you in some kind of trouble? I always knew Dumbledore was a bad idea." Severus waved his wand to check on the wards he'd placed on Dove's room to alert him if she needed him or woke up. She was asleep. He motioned for them to follow him and he opened her door just a crack. Her dark hair was fanned out around her and her face was at peace, but with her scar visible there was no questioning who it was.

"Severus," Lucius said cautiously after they were back in the sitting room. "Why do you have the Girl Who Lived in your spare room, asleep?"

"A second part of the Potter's will was found." He whispered. "Lily named me secondary godfather. Albus filed the paperwork today. She was being abused, Luc. She knew nothing of her heritage, thought her parents died in a Muggle accident. Calls herself 'freak'."

Narcissa's pretty face went red. "What do you mean, abused? I thought she was sent to live with her aunt and uncle."

"I knew Petunia growing up. She hated her sister's magic, envied it. The girl was starved, beaten, and living in a broom closet. You saw how tiny she is. She isn't but a few weeks younger than Draco."

No one said anything for a few minutes. Then Narcissa took a deep breath. "First thing is she'll need new robes, dresses, shoes- when are you taking her to Diagon Alley?"

"First thing tomorrow after breakfast."

"You said she didn't know anything. Does she know about the Dark Lord?" Lucius asked. Severus shook his head.

"No, we were too busy explaining about wands and such and ran out of time."

"You need to explain before you go out and she's overwhelmed by the masses of people wanting to shake her hand. I think maybe the three of us should come with you. You and I can control the masses, Narcissa can have a dress up doll, and the kids can get to know each other. Think she'll be in Gryffindor?"

Severus chuckled. "Probably, but I don't know. She definitely has Slytherin in her. Merlin, the girl told me I was being obstinate. Asked me if I was coy on purpose. She'll have no problem putting Draco in his place."

"Boy is a brat," Lucius agreed. "I have no idea how he became so stuck on himself the way he is."

"Really?" His wife asked him. " _No_ idea at all?"

"I think it would be a good idea for the three of you to come along. It would give her more people in her corner and I would appreciate the advice where I can get it. How about the three of you come around just after breakfast. I can tell her about you and the Dark Lord while we eat and we can go. Her birthday is in a few days."

"Oh! Well you must do something for it then!" Narcissa exclaimed.

"I was planning to give her the locket I gave Lily that one year, but I don't want to overwhelm her with a bunch of new people."

Lucius leaned forward. "It might be a good idea to contact Potter's friend. Lupin. He wasn't as bad as the others, you have admitted that yourself, and she might like another connection to her parents. You can tell the stories about her mother and he tell her stories about Potter."

Severus nodded with a pale face. "I will be needing to make Wolfsbane Potion then. I won't let him around her without it, but I have had that thought. Merlin, I just got her yesterday and I can literally feel the gray hair growing. How do you do it?"

"He drinks a potion."

"Cissa!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want to keep that secret?"

Severus laughed at the disgruntled look on his friend's face when he heard, "Daddy?" The three of them stopped and looked over to the bottom of the stairs where Dove stood, rubbing her eyes. He'd told her to call him whatever she wanted within reason, and to be honest he supposed he should have prepared himself for the possibility it might have been that. He broke out of his thoughts and gestured for her to come closer. "Did we wake you?"

She nodded and climbed into his lap, tucking her head under his chin and peeking at the two beautiful strangers. They watched their friend and the girl with surprised interest. He was a natural parent. "Hello." She said to them quietly.

"Dove, these are my friends, Lucius and Narcissa. They and their son are going to come shopping with us tomorrow. Would you like that?" She nodded sleepily with a ferocious yawn. Narcissa smiled.

"How about I tuck you in, dear? We'll see what we can do about your night clothes." Dove looked back at Severus before consenting to being led back to her room by the new person. Once they were gone the two men just looked at each other.

"She looks to you for consent and acceptance," Lucius said. "That's good. With her back ground it isn't uncommon that she would latch onto the person she deems as her rescuer. Congratulations, Severus, you're a father."

Narcissa led Dove to her new room and looked around to take stock of what she had to work with. "I've always been good with Transfiguration, what's your favorite color?" Dove shrugged. "Now, shrugging is for people who can't think."

"I guess I like green." She whispered. Narcissa waved her wand and Dove's oversized hand-me-downs became a green night gown.

"Now, it won't due as a substitute, but it will hold until we go shopping tomorrow. I think I have something for you to wear out. I'll bring in the morning, but for now, it is time for you to go back to sleep."

"Thank you!"

"Oh! You can call me Aunt Cissa. I can't wait for us to get to know each other better."

Dove woke up better rested than she'd ever felt in her life. Her new bed was even more comfortable than the one she woke up in at the school and her night gown made her feel special. She ran downstairs to start breakfast, but it was already on the table and her Severus was there reading a paper and drinking what looked to be a very strong cup of tea. She gasped. The picture, it moved! "Sir, that picture just moved."

He folded the paper and set it down. "Pictures in the Wizarding World move. Paintings, can talk. Some I can think of particularly can be quite rude too come to think of it." Talking pictures. Dove smiled. "Well? Are you going to sit down?"

"I can?" She asked.

"We will usually eat together when we are not at Hogwarts, yes. You are no longer in Surrey, Dove. Things are going to be a lot different." He tossed a padded envelope with green ink in front of her. "This is for you," he said. "Your Hogwarts letter. Go on, read it aloud."

Ms. D. Potter,

Second Bedroom

7 Spinners End

Cokeworth

HOGWARTS SCHOOL  
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress

"What does it mean, they await my owl?"

"That's how we send letters and whatnot." He took a deep breath. "We still have something we need to discuss. Today you will meet a lot of people who will want to shake your hand, or thank you. I want you to be prepared that everyone will know who you are."

"But, why?" Dove asked, confused.

"First you should know that not all wizards are good. Just like Muggles, there are both good and bad. Do you remember about Muggles?" Dove nodded. "Good girl. Years ago there was one wizard who went about as dark as you can get. His name, though you will hear very few willing to speak it, was Voldemort. The Dark Lord gained followers, a lot of whom were tricked or didn't understand what they were doing. These were dark days, Dove. Muggles and Muggleborns were being targeted, Pureblood families who refused to side with him, and everyone in between. Your parents were both very powerful, but they defied him at every turn. So he went after them and no one lived once he decided to kill them. Except you. He tried to kill you, and he couldn't. That's how you have that scar on your forehead, and that's why everyone in our world knows your name. You're the Girl Who Lived."

Something painful was going on in Dove's head as he was explaining. Her dream of the green flashes, the pretty woman who screamed. "Where is he now? Is he dead?"

"No. Though, you will meet people who will want to believe otherwise. He's still out there waiting for his chance."

"Do you have a picture of my parents?" She asked with a lump in her stomach.

"I have a picture of your mother, but it shouldn't be too hard to find one of both of them." Severus closed his eyes. "I think you ought to know something else. I told you he had followers. There will be people who will make an uproar that you were put in my care. You should expect it to come up at some point, but I want to be the one to tell you before you hear it elsewhere." He folded his left sleeve up. "I made a mistake a long time ago when I thought I knew how the world worked," he said. "Others did the same, but some do not think of it as a mistake and are very loyal. I was once one of his. I thought I could protect someone I cared about, but I couldn't." Dove's eyes widened in realization. "Promise me if you see this on anyone that isn't me or Lucius you will run. Find help. Find me. Lucius and I will protect you, but you cannot trust anyone else with this. Promise."

"I promise," she whispered. "I trust you."

At that moment the fire roared to life and three blondes stepped into the sitting room. Severus guided her into the room. She remembered the two from the night before and remembered their son being mentioned. He was her age, though quite a bit taller than her. Narcissa- Aunt Cissa, she reminded herself, smiled at her. "Dove, this is our son, Draco. Draco, this is Dove." She nudged him toward her and he held his hand out, but instead of shaking it he placed a kiss on the back.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." He said aristocratically.

"The pleasure's all mine," she replied nervously. Draco studied the shaking girl in front of him and decided she needed a friend, a protector. He could do that. He smiled at her.

"Well," Aunt Cissa said after watching the scene before her. "let's get you dressed for the day, shall we?"

Aunt Cissa had brought dresses, three to choose from, that were just her size. Dove looked at them with happy disbelief before choosing a pale blue one. Cissa brushed her hair gently and pulled part of it back with a matching ribbon. Dove sat back and just listened to her new aunt talk.

"Severus was telling us how well you two were getting along. I can tell he likes having you here." She said. "You look almost like you could be his daughter, and with you addressing him like that- "

"Do you think it bothered him?" Dove asked worriedly. Aunt Cissa tittered.

"Of course not, sweetie. He loved it, I'm sure. There, you're ready. You look so pretty in your dress."

"I've never worn one before last night," Dove said. She twirled around when prompted.

"That's awful! Well, I'm here now and that will be fixed."

Dove traveled with Severus through the Floo again, still too scared to do it alone. She, and all three of the adults, expected Draco to tease her. Instead, he patted her back reassuringly. They arrived in a dark tavern, where Dove was entranced by the casual magic going on. The barkeep waving the broom across the floor, a spoon stirring tea while the wizard read his book. Draco held Dove's hand and Severus held the other, bracing himself for the stampede. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to shrink away from the two men leading their group.

"Mr. Malfoy! Professor! Can I get you a table, sirs?"

"No, thank you, Tom." Lucius said. "We're shopping for school. It's Draco and Dove's first year at Hogwarts."

"Bless my soul, that's Dove Potter." She could feel all eyes on her. 'Tom' hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Dove and seized her hand, tears in his eyes. Draco kept a firm grip on her, wanting to pull her away.

"Welcome back, Ms. Potter, welcome back."

Dove didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at her. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Severus placed a propriatorial hand on her shoulder. Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Dove found herself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Doris Crockford, Ms. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Ms. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Ms. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" Dove said, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop." Aunt Petunia had been angrier than Dove had ever seen her. She grabbed Dove hard and dragged her away from the shop. She didn't eat for a week after that particular incident, but couldn't find it in herself to hold a grudge against the dithering man in front of her.

"She remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? She remembers me!" Dove shook hands again and again -Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.

A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.

"Quirinus!" Severus said evenly. "Dove, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts." Dove got the feeling he didn't like him.

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Dove's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you."

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.

But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Dove to himself. The people kept coming in waves until Severus and Lucius pulled the group outside to a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. "I don't want you alone with Quirrell unless absolutely necessary," Severus told her as Narcissa counted bricks. She tapped the wall three times with the point of her wand.

The brick she had touched quivered - it wriggled - in the middle, a small hole appeared - it grew wider and wider - a second later they were facing an archway large enough for the lot of them to walk through fanned out, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight. They stepped through the archway. Dove looked quickly over her shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.

The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons - All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring - Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.

"Yes, the two of you will be needing those," Severus said aloud. "But first, the bank."

Dove wished she had about eight more eyes. She turned her head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're mad..."

Dove examined everything in wonder and Draco was happy to follow and explain everything to her. Yes, they really did fly brooms. Quidditch was the greatest sport ever invented. No, you can _not_ eat that. Severus and the Malfoy's watched in amusement until they came to the doors of Gringotts and they each pulled the kids closer. They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold was-

"Dad, what are those things?" Severus had decided not to approach the topic of her calling him that unless she did. Secretly he supposed it was kind of nice to hear.

"Those are goblins. Tricky little devils so stay close and don't wander."

"Okay."

After the bank they went to Madame Malkins where Aunt Cissa proceeded to order the seamstress on exactly what she wanted for both children, even new pieces for herself and the two men- under much protest. Then to the apothecary where Severus picked their Potion things out specially, arguing with the shop owner on quality. In the book shop Dove and Draco went off to find their books on their own.

"The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)" Draco said.  
"Check!" She placed two in the start of a pile.

"A History of Magic?"

"Check."

"Magical Theory."

"By Adalbert Waffling or Terinal Dunde?"

"Waffling."

"Then check!"

"Look here, Forge, a couple of firsties." Two identical redheads came into view. Draco grabbed Dove's arm and pulled her towards him. She locked eyes with one of the boys- who subtly had more freckles on his nose and cheeks where the other had them on his forehead, and her stomach fluttered just a little. "Forge?"

The one she was looking at shook his head and answered his twin. "Yes, Gred, firsties." He held his hand out to Dove with a smile. "I'm Fred." Draco pulled on her dress when she stepped forward, but she shook the boy's hand anyway.

"I'm Dove, and this is my friend Draco. Do you go to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah. We're going into our third year. Are you excited?"

"Nervous actually."

"Don't be you'll do great."

"Mr. Weasley, did you require assistance to find your own group?" Fred jumped a mile high and swung around to the Potions Master, who was standing with his arms crossed and Lucius behind him looking rather amused.

"No, sir. Just helping some first years with their books, sir. Did _you_ need assistance?"

Sensing danger, Draco stepped forward. He'd known Severus longer, so he knew this could be bad. "These gentlemen were telling us about Hogwarts. Right, Dove?" Dove nodded enthusiastically, over hearing Fred's teasing twin. "Hear that, Forge? We're gentlemen."

"Well then," Severus sneered. "you should probably be on your way. Shouldn't you?"

"Right you are, Professor Snape." Fred's twin said. "Say good bye, Fred."

"Good bye, Fred." Fred repeated, winking at the blushing Dove. They went off and Draco and Dove each grabbed their books.

"You be careful," Severus said to Dove on the way to Ollivanders. "Remember what I said this morning?"

Dove nodded obediently, but Lucius chuckled. "The Weasley's are the least likely to try harming her. Molly is more likely to smother her in sweaters and Arthur some infernal Muggle device."

"You never know."

"This is because that boy was making eyes- "

Severus interrupted Narcissa with a sharp glance and they entered the wand shop.

A bell rang when they opened the door and an older man came to view. He looked at the adults with eyes that were hard to describe, before settling on Lucius. "Eighteen inches, elm, dragon heartstring. A good sturdy wand. Take care of it."

"Yes, sir." He moved to Narcissa.

"Thirteen inches, oak, unicorn hair, pliable." She nodded.

"And young Severus Snape. I remember you and a certain redhead darkening my door. Fifteen inches, blackthorn and ebony, dragon heartstring, might I see it?" Without hesitation Severus handed it to the man who then turned it over in his hand. "I see. You have a very loyal wand here, Professor. Very loyal. And now then, the young Malfoy heir. I have just the wand for you."

Mr. Ollivander went over to a stack of long thin boxes and pulled one out. "Apple, Unicorn hair, eleven inches. Give it a wave." Draco jerked it to the side and a pile of boxes went in every direction. "Not that one." He then searched through a different pile and pulled out a box. "Hawthorn and unicorn hair. Ten inches precisely." As soon as he held it, he got this smile on his face and with a wave the boxes were put back in their original pile. Mr. Ollivander nodded. "Good, good. You will have a hard time should you need to replace it. That one won't let go so easily."

Then he turned to Dove with a sad smile. "I remember your parents here buying their first wands. I was very upset to hear of their passing, my condolences."

"Thank you." She said genuinely.

He pointed to Severus. "Stay close to this man and you'll be safe I can assure you." He moved her hair to see her scar and a sad look haunted his face. "I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did that. Yew, very powerful, but in the wrong hands- well. Which is your wand arm?"

"I'm right handed." She offered, shivering at the somber mood the shop had taken on all of a sudden. He measured her arm as he did Draco's and walked to the back to bring a small stack of boxes to try. He handed her the first one. "Right then, Ms. Potter. Try this one. Beech wood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave."

Dove took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of her hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -"

Dove tried - but she had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"No, no -here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out." When that didn't work, Mr. Ollivander gave her a very strange look. "I wonder." He picked up a box at the bottom with a heavy blanket of dust. "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

All three adults inhaled sharply and Severus went rigid, but when her fingers wrapped around it she felt a warmth and red and gold sparks flew from the tip and around the room in a spectacular display. Each adult in the room took a shaky breath. "Curious," Lucius said under his breath. "Very curious."

She looked back. "What's curious?"

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Ms. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar." Dove's face paled and Draco grabbed her hand. "The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Ms. Potter... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."


	4. Home

Chapter four: Home

Severus and Dove settled into their new life together quick and seamless. She'd only been there four days and already they were perfectly in sync. He found himself thinking of her as his; the daughter he should have had and she liked being part of a family, even if it was a small one. The Malfoy's were over every day and they all fawned over Dove, adopting her as their own as well. Zara doted on her every moment, making her treats and playing with her as she had Severus. She called her Missy Bird, which Dove found made her feel warm inside. Dove was allowed to help Severus in his lab as he began brewing Wolfsbane, though not having contacted Lupin yet. Dove had her own desk in a corner where she could get a head start on her school texts. Severus insisted she read out of them at least two hours a day. He told her about the House system, the ghosts, the portraits.

"What House were you in?" She asked, stirring a draught he had going.

"I am the Head of Slytherin. Lucius and I were there as boys. Narcissa was in Ravenclaw. Lily and James were Gryffindors."

"Will you be upset if I'm not in Slytherin?" She asked quietly.

"Not at all. I expect you'll be in Gryffindor like your parents, but I would be happy with whichever house you are sorted into."

"How do we get sorted?"

He smirked at her. "That, is a secret. I suppose I _could_ tell you, but then I would have to dissect you and use you in my Potions." Dove huffed. "So, your birthday is tomorrow." He said. She gave him a slightly confused and surprised look.

"I suppose it is."

"I invited a few people over," he said. "Not many. Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, Draco and his parents, and a few people I want to introduce you to. Professor McGonagall is Gryffindor Head of House and she teaches Transfiguration. Also, a friend of James and Lily. He was very close to Potter." Dove had gathered he didn't like her father, though he never spoke ill of him in front of her. It was in the way he stiffened at the name and said as little about him as he could without it being obvious.

"Okay," she said. Severus looked at the time. Lucius and Narcissa were coming with Draco to stay with Dove while he tracked down the Wolf. He didn't want to, but knew if he didn't now he wouldn't ever and that made him feel guilty. Like he would be disappointing Her. This would be the first time he and Dove were apart since she came, but it felt like it had always been like this. Besides, he knew she hadn't celebrated her birthday since she was a baby and he felt the need to do it.

When the fireplace sounded that someone was coming in through the Floo, the two went back upstairs. Draco had brought with him Exploding Snap to teach her how to play and a diagram he made to explain Quidditch. Severus ran a hand through his hair only for Narcissa to smooth out.

"Calm down," she scolded gently. "You're doing this for her. Neither of you are children anymore and I'm sure he will be happy to be a part of her life."

"What if I don't want him to be? I could just tell her horror stories of Potter and never have to deal with any of them again."

"You could," Lucius conceded, earning himself a smack on the chest from his wife. "But if you are then you need to decide and decide now, because once you choose either way you will have to stand by it. Parenting is about consistency. You must set a good example. It is not just you anymore."

Severus nodded, of course Lucius was right. He almost always was. "I know. I'm going. Dove."

She looked up at him from her game. "Yes, sir?"

"You be sure to mind your manners and listen to everything they tell you, okay? I have an errand to run, but I'll be back this evening." Immediately her face scrunched up and sucked in her bottom lip.

"Can't I come with you?" She asked in a broken voice. He kneeled to her level where she and Draco sat on the floor.

"Unfortunately, you cannot, little dove. I promise I won't be too long. Look," He dug out his pocket watch and held it out to her. "When this says 5:00 I will either already be here, or walking through that fireplace."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He said, with a feeling of impending doom. Then he departed, the last thing he saw being a tearful girl being comforted by a blonde boy and his parents. This had better be worth it, and he'd better be back by 5.

Lupin's last known residence was in a rundown Muggle neighborhood just outside of Chester. Number 23 in a line of identical houses all with peeling paints and brown lawns. Severus supposed it wasn't much different from Spinner's End, but he had the resources to move he just hadn't felt the motivation. Though now that he had Dove he might actually revisit the thought. He stood on the doorstep for a good ten minutes before taking a deep breath and knocking thrice firmly. Almost immediately the door opened to show a thin man with a tired, scarred face and haunted eyes. He gave Severus a weak half smile. "I wondered when you would finally knock, you've been standing there for fifteen minutes. Come on in."

Severus swallowed and followed him into a sitting room with stained furniture and bare walls. "I, uh, I have something I'd like to discuss with you," he stuttered anxiously. His palms sweated and his heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. Remus sensed the man's extreme discomfort and slowly sat down on the other side of the room to give him space. Severus relaxed a bit.

"What is it that was able to convince _you_ to come find _me_? It must be important."

Severus moistened his lips, darting his tongue over them. "A second part of the Potters will has been found."

Remus was on his feet in a moment and Severus' wand aimed at his chest. Remus held his hands up in a surrendering and non-threatening pose before resuming his seat. "My apologies. You were saying?"

Severus lowered his wand, breathing heavily. "She named me. Lily named me as second for her daughter."

"That means- "

"Yes. Albus and I went to get her Sunday. She's at my home now with a friend." The room filled with a heavy and tense silence. "I can't tell her stories about Potter. I can not even think his name without wanting to go out and kill something. You, however, have plenty of stories I'm sure."

"Then why not just tell her nothing. Or tell her how we treated you?"

"You know why." Remus nodded sadly. "I'm offering, if you want it, a chance to be in her life."

Remus took a deep breath. "I want to, Merlin I do, but it might not be safe. I don't want to put her in danger."

"Do you think I would let you near her during the full moon?"

"It isn't just the full moon, Severus. It is always. Moony is always on edge and I am always the wolf." Severus placed a large vial on the coffee table lined with rings.

"I can brew Wolfsbane, and I have. I don't want there to be any reason you refuse except that it's your choice."

"I don't know what to say. You come here to let me near James and Lily's daughter, offer Wolfsbane, what do you want in return?" Remus was cautious. He'd thought about Dove a lot, his best friends' daughter growing up an orphan.

"I don't know what I'm doing," Severus admitted, and if Remus hadn't been a werewolf he wouldn't have heard it. "She was abused before I got to her. She's skittish, unsure of everything, and yet at the same time thinks she's ten feet tall and bullet proof. You, for all your faults, are good with people. I am not. Her birthday- "

"Is tomorrow. I know, I was there when she was born."

"Right. Well, a few people are coming over and I told her you would make an appearance. Should you actually show up is on you."

When Severus went to leave, Remus called him. "What's she like?"

"She's Lily's daughter."

Severus stepped through into his living room just as a vase crashed against the wall beside him. The sitting room was a disaster and getting worse. Dove was sitting on the floor with her knees up and her head resting on them, surrounded by a revolving vortex of furniture, books, and other random objects- his pocket watch in her hand. Zara was standing in front of the Malfoy's where there was a distinctive cut off from Dove's outburst. It wasn't even three yet. He ran to Lucius, narrowly escaping a book's sharp corner to the face.

"Oh, thank Merlin you're back." Narcissa said in relief. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into their bubble.

"What happened?" He asked. "Is she hurt? Is she okay?"

"She's fine, Severus," Lucius assured him. "Right after you left she just collapsed, wouldn't let anyone near her. Draco tried to hug her and she screamed. She thinks you aren't coming back."

"So it's just been like this for the last two hours?"

"This just started half an hour ago. Before that she just sat there crying."

Severus ran a hand through his hair and stood up straight. Dove obviously hadn't noticed he was back. Zara tugged on his robes. "Missy Bird is thinking you left her like Missy Bird's Fire Girl."

"Fire Girl?" He asked, hoping it wasn't what he thought.

"Missy Bird's dream about the green flashes and the girl with fire hair." Zara used to call Lily Fire Girl when they were kids. Dove had said she'd never seen what her parents looked like, and he had yet to show her the picture he kept on his bedside table or the ones collecting dust in the attic. But, she was dreaming of that night. He doubted she fully understood what they meant, just that they were bad. He stepped toward his surrogate daughter and laid a hand on her back. Everything in the room dropped and her head snapped up. Dove launched herself at him and held him tightly.

"You came back." She said into his neck.

"I promised, didn't I?" He pointed out, sharing a look with Lucius over her shaking shoulders.

That night, an hour after Severus finally made it to sleep after his inner turmoil, his door squeaked open and a sliver of light fell on his bed from the hallway. His eyes flew open, but he was able to stop himself from throwing a curse, remembering Dove. Sure enough, her silhouette made its way to the side of his bed and a tiny, but persistent, finger poked his face. "Yes?" He asked with closed eyes.

"Um, well, you said if I needed anything- "

"Did you have a bad dream?" Narcissa had warned him this might happen. She nodded. Severus sighed and slid over to make room for her. She didn't hesitate to climb up, snuggling close to him and falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Severus let out another heavy sigh and stared up at the canopy above the bed. Some people just had that skill, but now he was awake again.

After a restless night in which he was attacked by sharp elbows not once, not twice, but _seven_ times, he dragged himself out of bed. She was still sound asleep, not having woken up once since coming to his room. He brushed some hair out of her face and smiled, before leaving to complete his morning ablutions. When he came back she was sitting up with a picture frame in her lap and her hair down around her face. It was of Lily and him during fifth year, just before their O.W.L's .

"That was your mother." He told her, sitting beside her and putting his arm around her.

"She was pretty."

"Yes, she was. I swear you look just like her."

"Except the hair."

Severus played with the end of her hair. "No, Lily would wake up with perfect hair on a humid day. It was against the laws of nature for her hair to be out of place, even when we were kids."

"Did you love her?" She asked. His heart skipped a beat and he nodded.

"More than anyone's ever loved another person."

"Do you love _me_?"

He closed his eyes. He did, there was no doubt, but he did not say it. This was Lily's daughter and just like Lily she would break his heart. Instead, Severus kissed her head and stood up. "I was thinking about making some French toast for breakfast. Would a certain Birthday Girl like to help me in the kitchen?" Dove seemed to understand and followed him downstairs excitedly.

The Malfoy's arrived early bearing a gaily colored gift and just in time to share breakfast. Afterwards, Aunt Cissa came up to her room to help her get ready. She combed Dove's long hair and braided it to the side. Dove chose a lilac tea dress Cissa suggested and the two rejoined the others where she twirled for her adoring audience. Draco handed her the present and she hugged him before unwrapping it very carefully, wanting to savor the moment of her first gift. It was a wooden box with her name carve intricately into the lid, and inside were all sorts of paints, brushes, and canvases. She gave a watery smile.

"I-I don't know what to say." She said. "Thank you so much!"

"You'll have to paint us something," Narcissa replied. Dove nodded and Severus pulled her to the side, giving her a much smaller box.

"I gave this to your mother a long time ago," He told her. "Well, we had a bit of a falling out, but I thought you might like to have it."

Dove pulled out the long, delicate chain with the gold heart shaped locket. It was beautiful with an engraving on the back that said, _'_ _To Lily with love, Sev'._ Inside were two pictures, one of a young Severus and Lily, and one Lucius must have taken of Dove and Severus in his lab. Dove threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Daddy."

Severus nodded before going upstairs for a minute to compose himself.

The first to arrive was Remus, as per his and Severus' agreement it would be better to introduce them privately, and they hit it off immediately. When he saw the locket, he shared a look with Severus. Remus brought with him a box of old pictures and knickknacks from the Marauders days to give to her. He could see she was the perfect balance of her parents, minus James' obnoxiousness and Lily's shallowness. Dove thanked him for the pictures, captivated by the one of her parent's wedding day. He was telling her and Draco a story about how the Marauders stole and rehomed every left sock of the Headmaster's, hiding them in random places around the castle, when said wizard came through the Floo. He said nothing, but his ever-twinkling eyes suggested he'd already known.

With him he brought Professor McGonagall and a pair of purple warm socks with silver stars. Professor McGonagall told Dove how wonderful it was to see her and how happy she was that she'd be starting Hogwarts this year with Draco. There was a commotion outside the door and Severus suggested she go see what it was and was rewarded with a smile when she opened it to find four red heads. Severus had, reluctantly and with much protest from Lucius, contacted Molly Weasley and told her about Dove's meeting with the twins and asked if they would like to come over. She also brought with her her youngest son, Ron, who would be starting with Dove and Draco. She crushed Dove in a hug and patted her cheek before scolding Severus on how skinny the two of them were.

"Madam, I assure you I am perfectly healthy and she will be as well."

She waved him off. "Oh tosh. You need some meat on your bones! Find yourself a nice girl to settle down with."

Severus blushed and Narcissa and Lucius both laughed heartily. Lucius shook her hand. "I commend you, ma'am." He said. "And we've been telling him that for years."

"I'm perfectly fine on my own," Severus huffed, though he maintained that he did not pout. "I don't need some girl running my life for me, I can do it perfectly well on my own."

"Ah, but you have the child now. You must think of her."

"Finding a partner merely for the sake of having one would be more detrimental I think than not having one and being perfectly content. Now, if you'll please excuse me."

"Did anyone else notice he said 'partner', not 'wife'?"

Dove was surrounded by people who seemed to care about her and couldn't remember ever being happier. No, she _knew_ she'd never been happier. Fred and George traded mischief stories with Remus, unknowingly inspiring the three eleven-year olds for future reference. Dove, Draco, and Ron befriended each other fast as both boys had instantly taken a liking to Dove and followed her around the room. Hagrid arrived, carrying a large cage with a snowy owl sleeping inside and a manic grin.

"'Appy Birthday, Dove!" He boomed. Draco and Ron stared at him in awe.

All in all it was an amazing day and when everyone had gone home, Dove fell asleep on the loveseat categorizing every detail not wanting to forget a second. Severus found her there after cleaning up and carried her to her bed, laying her down and tucking her in. He laid a hand on the side of her head and kissed her forehead. "I love you," he whispered into her hair, but she was flying over Bristol in a motorcycle car.


	5. Hogwarts

Chapter five: Hogwarts

"Have you your books?"

"Yes."

" _All_ of them? Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Only fools and charged particles are positive," Severus said, pulling her copy of Magical Theory from behind his back. She'd left it in the basement on her desk in his lab. She groaned and stuffed it into her trunk, giving him the eye. "Now, Lupin is going to take you to meet the others. I have to get to Hogwarts. You have your messenger bag?" Narcissa had insisted she get a purse of some sort and Severus took advantage of this. Dove nodded and patted it on her hip. "Your ticket is in there?" Another nod. "Your money for snacks on the train?"

" _Yes_ , Dad. I have everything. My ticket, my money- both Muggle and Wizarding just in case, a book to read on the way, emergency Floo powder, and my locket." He'd put a charm on the locket to make it an emergency Portkey that would take her to him should she hold onto it and say, 'Filia mea cor tuum.' He didn't tell her what it meant though.

Severus went to answer when someone knocked on the door. "That'll be Lupin. Travelling Muggle for some reason."

Dove ran to fling the door open. "Remus!"

"Hey, Prongslette." He'd called her that when she was a baby, they all had, and he just picked up the old habit. She didn't understand what it meant, just that it was in reference to her father and that it always made Severus twitch. "All set and ready to go?"

" _No_ , she is _not_." Severus said from behind her. "Do you have your paints? The treats for Hedwig? Your journal? Merlin help me if _Narcissa_ hears you've lost or forgotten your journal."

"Daddy! I have everything. I'll see you _tonight._ " She was too excited for the distance to upset her like last time. Remus flinched when she referred to Severus like that, but understood it. The first time he'd heard her address him he was drinking pumpkin juice and nearly passed it through his nose. James Potter's daughter calling Severus Snape 'Dad.'

"Lupin, look out for her. And don't let her go through the barrier by herself. And keep an eye on that Weasley twin, Frank."

"It's Fred."

"If you say so."

Dove hugged him and followed Lupin out to the cab, him carrying her trunk and she Hedwig's cage.

"Platform 9 ¾? Are you sure that's right?" She asked.

"Hasn't changed in twenty years," he told her, leading her through the crowds. "There's Molly."

"Dove!" Four voices said together. Mrs. Weasley hugged her and introduced the two children she'd yet to meet. Ginny squeaked and hid behind her mother. Dove and Fred exchanged shy smiles and Ron told Dove about the dragon he was told they would have to face.

"Do you think?" He whispered.

"No," she said uncertainly. "Severus would never let me anywhere near a dragon. But, he _did_ refuse to tell me how we get Sorted."

"Dove! Ron!" They both looked to Draco who was waving with his trolley.

"Right," Lucius said. "Shall we?"

"Shall we what?" Dove asked. Mrs. Weasley explained about the barrier and she backed away from it into Remus.

"Percy, you first." Mrs. Weasley said. "Show them how." Percy very nonchalantly jogged into the brick wall and disappeared. Dove and Draco gasped. "Fred, you next."

"He's not Fred," George said. "I am."

"Honestly woman, you call yourself our mother."

"Oh sorry, George."

"I'll let Fred take this one," Fred said, sharing a look with his brother. "I can go through with Dove."

George sighed like he was sacrificing himself before lining up with the wall. "Only joking, I'm George." And he ran into the barrier.

Mrs. Weasley gave Fred an exasperated look and gestured for them to go ahead. Remus went first.

"What if we crash?" She whispered to Fred.

"Then we crash, but either way just standing here isn't really an option. We may as well get on with it. Crashing can be fun." They charged together, but instead of feeling the impact of the brick wall there was a cool breeze and Remus was there waiting. She laughed and hugged Remus to say good bye.

"Make sure to write me," he told her. "And I will see you this summer. Behave for Severus."

"I will." She promised.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't." Dove rolled her eyes at the twin.

"Dove, young ladies don't roll their eyes."

"Yes, Aunt Cissa."

"Well," Mrs. Weasley said, straightening all of their clothes- Draco and Dove's included. "You all watch out for each other. Don't get yourselves into trouble. Be sure to write."

"Yes, ma'am." Five voices said in harmony before boarding the train.

The five crammed into one of the bigger compartments and settled in, Dove, Draco, and Ron on one side and the twins on the other.

"So, Little Bird, what House are you holding out for?" George asked. "Fred here is hoping you get Gryffindor so he can get to know you better." Fred's ears turned red and he elbowed his brother hard, but looked interested in Dove's answer.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Dad was in Slytherin and is Head of House, and everyone thinks Draco will be there too, but my parents were both in Gryffindor. So was Remus and you guys. Aunt Cissa was in Ravenclaw. I'll probably be in Hufflepuff."

"No," Draco said, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "You'd never be in _Hufflepuff_. You'll probably be in Slytherin with me."

"But what if I'm not? You'll be all alone."

"I'll still hang out with you guys, right?"

"Even if we have to kidnap you."

The twins both looked at each other, enlightened and inspired. There was a knock on the door and a plump woman with short gray hair gestured to her cart of snacks and candies. Severus had told her not to eat too much sweets or she'd get sick, but she'd only tried sherbet lemon and pumpkin pasties, which were Draco's favorite. He had Zara make her a 'balanced lunch' along with the treat money. The three Weasley's held up their sandwiches and declined, but Draco pulled out his coins and shared a look with Dove. The two of them went up to the cart, but they didn't have Mars Bars. The two carted back and dumped a mountain of Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Dove had never seen before or heard of. Draco offered a Pumpkin Pastie to Ron, trying to convince him to take it. Dove merely grabbed two Cauldron Cakes and threw them at the twins with a grin.

"It's not a _real_ frog, is it?" Dove asked cautiously.

"It's just a spell," Ron assured her. "Besides, it's the _card_ you want. I'm missing Agrippa."

"I have two." Draco said. "I'm only missing Ptolemy."

"I'll trade you." Ron offered.

She opened the package and pulled out the card. "I've got Albus! Oops, Professor Dumbledore, I mean." She was supposed to get used to calling everyone Professor, even Severus. That was when the frog came to life and jumped- right out the open window.

"Rotten luck- "Fred said sympathetically.

"They've only _got_ one good jump in them."

Dove shrugged and reached for a box of Bettie Bott's beans. "They _mean_ every flavor," Draco warned her.

"George swears he got a boogie flavored one once."

"I did!"

Dove scrutinized a green bean and placed it on her tongue. "Hmm, grass. I kind of like it."

"There's no way there's a boogie flavored bean, you two are just taking the mickey out of me."

"No, really!" Fred lied. Draco regarded Dove's box of beans distrustfully. She rolled her eyes, knowing they were just messing around.

"Oh! Like that spell to turn Scabbers yellow is real?" Ron questioned sarcastically. Now Dove could tell Fred was trying not to laugh, and so was George.

"Honestly, it works. Try it."

Ron eyed them, but pulled out his wand and cleared his throat. At that moment, the compartment door swung open and there stood a girl already in her robes with bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth. She looked around and huffed. "Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one." They all shook their heads, glancing around at each other. "Oh! Are you doing magic? Let's see it then." She plopped herself beside George, who was in a state of bewilderment, and looked at Ron in anticipation.

Ron cleared his throat again, obviously nervous with the new addition to his audience, and pointed it at the unsuspecting sleeping rat in his lap- halfway in an old treat box. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." There was a quick flash and an indignant squeak, the rat scuttled under the seat to safety and the twins, Draco and Dove all burst into simultaneous laughter.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard -I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are all of you?"

Ron and Draco looked stunned, not having read the course books at all. Dove hadn't had that choice as Severus didn't give her a choice. Luckily, she found it rather fascinating.

"I'm Ron Weasley," muttered Ron.

"Fred- "

"-and George- "

"Weasley, at your service."

"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

"Dove Potter."

"Are you really?" Hermione said. "I know all about you, of course- I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. Fascinating book."

"I am?" Dove asked weakly.

"You didn't know?" She inquired, almost scandalized. "I'd have learned all I could if it was me. Imagine a world where everyone knows your name and you haven't read what they have about yourself. Do any of you know what Houses you will be in? I've been asking around and so far Gryffindor sounds the best. I heard Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad."

"Gryffindor." The twins said together, looking at her with something akin to astonishment she could talk so much and so fast, burning through each topic.

"Same," Ron said. That had never really been a question.

"Slytherin," Draco said proudly. Hermione's nostrils flared slightly.

"I don't know." Dove shrugged.

"Weren't both of your parents in Gryffindor?" Hermione asked intrusively. Dove nodded. "Then it's almost a given, isn't it?"

"I suppose, but you never know. Dad says I have Slytherin enough in me, and he's the Head of House. I'm not sure." Hermione gave a strange look and opened her mouth to comment, but George elbowed her gently and shook his head.

"Well," she said instead. "You'd all better change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon." And then she was gone, leaving behind a compartment of dazed occupants.

"Whatever House she's in, I hope I'm not." Everyone grunted in agreement.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Hagrid said in his rumbling voice. Dove ran toward him excitedly, Draco and Ron not far behind. "'Ello there, Dove. Boys. Have a good train ride?" They all nodded enthusiastically and he motioned for the crowd of eleven-year olds to follow him. Hagrid led them to a dock of boats on a lake. "No more 'an four to a boat."

Dove grabbed Draco and Ron's hands to make sure they stuck together and weren't separated. The girl from the train, Hermione was the last to their boat. At this, Ron switched seats with Dove to be away from her. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" a boy, who must have been Neville, cried blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once and there stood Minerva, Professor McGonagall, wearing her stern face. Dove smiled at her and she twitched the corners of her mouth back.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it and almost all of Spinner's End along with it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

Dove felt a swell in her chest and squeezed her friends' hands. They followed Minerva across the flagged stone floor. Dove could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but Minerva showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Minerva said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours." She paused.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Dove tried to tame her hair, looking to Draco for help.

"You look fine, Dove." He told her. "Mother wouldn't have let you on the train if you didn't."

"But, Dray, please." He huffed and motioned for her to turn around, combing his hands through her hair, braiding it back, and looping it so it would stay in place. She went to thank him but was interrupted by a mocking laugh behind them. The three, and everyone else, turned around to see a dark-skinned boy with a cruel smirk crowded by two chubby ones with unintelligent faces.

"Did your mummy teach you that, Malfoy?" Draco didn't turn red, but his cheeks tinged just the slightest pink which was more than Dove had seen on him.

"Zabini, are they letting just _anyone_ attend Hogwarts these days? I might have to reconsider my academic options."

"You think you're so clever, don't you? And what? Now you're in crowd with the Chosen One? That's a complete turn from the old days of the Malfoy line, isn't it?" He approached Dove and held out his hand to shake. "Blaise Zabini, a pleasure to meet you."

She glanced down at his hand and back up with a stormy face that would have made Draco or Ron stop to consider their actions. "I wish I could say the same."

Zabini didn't look upset, but instead smirked derisively. "One day you will come to regret that decision. Until then, Potter."

"Ahem." She whirled around, almost losing her balance if it weren't for Draco, to see Minerva back to collect them. "We are ready for you. Please make an orderly line and follow me."

Severus watched this year's line of first years walk through the doors and noted the same expressions of wonder as any other year. But this wasn't like any other year where he just zoned out to the end, this year was Dove's first. He spotted her between her two friends and almost smiled. He would be lying if he said he wasn't crossing his fingers under the table, a Muggle habit Lily had influenced, that she be in Slytherin. He knew with almost certainty she wouldn't be and part of him, the unselfish part, was glad. It was a tie to her parents and it would keep her away from the students in his House whose parents were supporters of the Dark Lord. Still.

He watched her green eyes search the table for him tensely and upon finding him she relaxed, sparing him a smile. He nodded just slightly. They had discussed his persona at school and how he would have to maintain it. He watched her and the boys whisper when they realized the hat did the Sorting and Dove glared at him playfully. The names started and he listened on with baited breath and watched Dove. First that he saw her react to, with a flicker of interest from the Malfoy heir, was a Miss Hermione Granger. When she was sorted to Gryffindor, Ronald sagged in disappointment. So, she had already had the attack of first impressions. When Draco went forward, Dove smiled to reassure him, but it was unnecessary. The hat had barely touched his head before shouting, "Slytherin!"

When Dove's name was called, whispers made their way around the Hall in a wave before fizzling into silence. Severus himself sat up straighter than he'd previously been and he felt Quirrell do the same beside him. She shakily, prompted finally by Ron, stepped up to the stool and sat down. The hat suddenly came alive and she jumped.

 _"_ _Ah! Dove Potter, as I live and breathe." The hat seemed to chuckle at his own joke. "Difficult. A great mind, strong will, soft heart, where should I put you? Slytherin perhaps, but I think not. How about_ GRYFFINDOR!" And just like that it was done. Dove let out a heavy sigh in relief as the entire Gryffindor table erupted in cheers, louder than any other table or student had. Fred and George stood in their seats chanting, "WE GOT POTTER!" Fred winked at her when she sat down and she blushed.

For his part, Severus sat back in his own reassurance that at least that was one less thing he had to worry about. He made sure only Dove was watching when he smiled at her, just a small one, and gave a nod of approval. Her happiness at that was blinding as Ron was called and shortly joined the Gryffindors as well. The last to be called was Blaise Zabini, whose mother was well known as a bit of a black widow type and liked to circle the Death Eaters in between husbands. Dove glared at the boy and Severus was struck that when she truly was angry she looked almost exactly like James Potter had. Severus' heart skipped a troubled beat at the familiar expression, but had to remind himself she was more Lily than Potter. Dove had found her school nemesis.

Dove was serving herself some potatoes when a ghost dressed in ruffles popped out of the bowl, making her shriek and potatoes to splatter in her hair a little. Fred graciously helped her clean it while he laughed.

"Terribly sorry," the ghost said in a poncy voice.

"It's fine," she told him.

"Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower." Ron gasped excitedly before Dove could answer.

"I know who you are! You're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began stiffly, but Hermione in her special imperious tone interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked sullen, pouting slightly. "Like this." And before everyone else could stop him, and they tried, he grabbed his ear and jerked it so that his neck left its spot to rest on his shoulder with just a flap of skin for a hinge. Everyone groaned and Dove grimaced before pushing her plate away.

"Gryffindors! I hope you'll help us win the House Cup this year? We've never gone so long without it, the Baron's been unbearable." He pointed to a ghost at the Head of the Slytherin table with a gaunt face and blank staring eyes, his robes stained with silvery tracks of blood.

"Where did the blood come from?" Dove asked.

"I didn't ask," Sir Nicholas said delicately, though Dove got the feeling he knew anyway. "And you shouldn't ask either." She looked back at the Baron and they locked eyes. Dove smiled a little, copying Severus' smile that almost wasn't one. The ghost furrowed his eyebrow and looked away.

Dove listened in while everyone began talking about their family. "Is it true you live with Professor Snape?" People kept asking, and giving her pitying expressions when she confirmed it.

"He's a good man." She insisted over and over again, getting frustrated each time.

"Well I heard he's a right git to everyone. Thinks he's better."

"Well maybe he is," she said hotly. "And maybe he wouldn't be such a git if dunderheaded students would listen and not be so dunderheaded." No one said anything else and Dove looked back up to the High table at her Severus. He was sitting next to Professor Quirrell, whose back was to her. Severus looked back at her and she gasped as a sharp, hot pain shot through her scar. She clapped a hand over it and squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them again, Severus was gone.

During the school song, after Albus' strange warning about the forest and third floor, Fred, George and Ron ushered her out of the Great Hall with her clutching her forehead. The twins led them to a side corridor. "It hurts," she gasped. Someone grabbed her from behind and spun her around.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked her worriedly. "I saw you hold your head. What happened?"

"Hey is everything okay?" Draco said as he found them. "I saw you leave."

"Dove, my girl, I need you to use your words. Weasley, Frank! Talk to me."

"It's Fred, sir."

"Who can tell?"

"It's her scar. She says it hurting."

"Is everything alright here, Severus?" Albus looked over his half-moon glasses at them, Minerva trailing behind him. He ushered Dove to her new Head of House and stepped to the Headmaster.

"It's Quirrell." He growled. "You know it, I told you that when you hired him. The man reeks of Dark magic and he is perfect prey for the Dark Lord."

"We have no proof and you know that."

"Albus," Minerva scolded with in her Scottish brogue. "If Severus says he's not who he says he is, then he isn't. Are you going to risk the children? Dove?"

"All we can do is keep our eyes open. We need to keep him close and stop him. Protect the children, but if we call the Ministry then he may get away."

Severus and Albus stared at each other for a moment before Severus pulled Dove after him to escort her to the Gryffindor Tower.

 **End notes:  
For any of you who looked it up and for those of you who did not,** _'_ _Filia mea cor tuum'_ **means** _'Daughter of my heart'_ **in Latin. This is still Severus accepting her as his without being able to admit it.**


	6. Challenged

Chapter six: Challenged

Whispers followed Dove down every corridor she turned from the time she left the Gryffindor common room. Students lined up and stood on their toes to try and get a glance of her between the tall redhead boy and the Lucius Malfoy's son. She wished they wouldn't. She was having enough trouble finding her classes. When she'd been here before she had only seen the infirmary, two corridors, and Albus' office. Now she faced a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. And all of that seemed to change and rotate around the castle a few times a day. Sir Nicholas was more than happy to point any students the right way. Peeves, however, would point you the furthest away he could. He'd dragged the carpet out from under their feet, emptied waste buckets over their heads, and even lured them to the third floor out of bounds where they were found by Argus Filch and his cat. The four of them automatically took a disliking to each other until Dove and the boys were saved by the Bloody Baron who happened to be passing by.

"What is going on here?" He practically growled, but it reminded Dove of when Severus was putting on his Dungeon Bat persona. She relaxed and kind of smiled. His eyes ghosted over the three students **(Oh yeah, I went there. I did that.)** with a hard to describe facial expression.

"Move along, Baron," Filch said nastily. "Just our new celebrity thinking she doesn't have to follow the rules."

"No!" Dove said, now talking to the Baron. "Please, we got lost and Peeves told us this was the way. We didn't mean to. I'm sure Professor Snape or McGonagall would be able to sort this out."

"Snape?" the Baron asked, now regarding her with interest. "You do know what his opinion is said to be on those not of his House, do you not?"

"He's her guardian, sir." Draco said cautiously. "Her father."

"Is he really?" the Baron asked again. "And you, I remember your father and grandfather. You're one of mine, aren't you?" Draco nodded and the ghost looked back to Filch. "Then I am sure this is just a misunderstanding. I will speak to Peeves about this and escort the three of you on your way. Good day."

Gob smacked they followed the ghost to somewhere they actually recognized. "Where to?" He asked Dove.

"Charms."

"Go down this hall, turn left at the Argyle painting, go up that flight of stairs, take another left, and it will be on your right just passed the painting of Лебединая принцесса." They looked at him expectantly. "She'll be the blonde girl reading the book, and the classroom is on the right of the small corridor just past that."

"Thank you so very much, sir."

"I take care of my own, and by extension you." And then he was gone.

Classes were amazing, even if they were difficult to start with. Dove had been afraid she would be miles behind everyone else, despite Severus telling her she would be fine. She found she was just on par with everyone else, except Hermione and Draco. Those two were already ahead of everyone and very competitive with each other. Just mentioning her name in front of him got him started on the know-it-all.

They had Astrology every Wednesday at midnight where they were to learn the names of constellations and star patterns under Professor Sinistra's guidance. She seemed nice and was passionate about her subject to the point that Dove thought she sometimes forgot she was teaching a group of eleven year olds as opposed to gushing about it. Professor Sprout, a sweet dumpy woman, taught them about fungi and strange plants. Dove was used to gardening at the Dursley's and she'd helped Severus with his own garden of potion ingredients. History of Magic was dreadful and even Hermione was struggling to take it seriously. Though, Dove would admit it was pretty cool that a ghost was teaching. Professor Flitwick was a good teacher, after the initial squeak he let out seeing Dove's name on the roster. He'd even called her Lily twice. Minerva, as expected, was strict. She started off the first lesson with a lecture, paying close attention to Dove and the boys.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Everyone was really excited and impressed when she turned a desk into a pig, even Dove, Draco, and Ron. They hadn't seen her or Albus use magic yet beyond the Floo. Their enthusiasm waned when they took scrolls of intensive notes before being handed a match to turn into a needle. Only Draco and Hermione made any change of it, both matches turning silvery and pointed. They each received a small smile from Minerva before glaring at each other.

Professor Quirrell was another story all together. His classroom smelled heavily of garlic inspired, others said, by an attack he survived from a vampire he was still afraid would come after him. His turban, he said, was a gift from an African prince as a thank you.

Friday began beautifully with Dove, Draco and Ron each making it down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost. They met outside of the doors with wide grins, congratulating each other, before going in to eat. Hedwig arrived with a letter for her from Remus. He'd been delighted to hear she was in Gryffindor, even going so far as to send Severus a letter of friendly gloat. The Slytherin didn't bother to reply. Their first lesson, only lesson, on Friday was Double Potions. Dove was excited, not having seen much of him since the banquet and never having gone down to the dungeons. It was colder, and his classroom was lined with pickled animals in glass jars much like his lab at home. Severus, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Dove's name- but he said nothing.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Minerva. Severus had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Dove smiled adoringly, thoroughly impressed with his inspiring speech. Hermione sat perched on the edge of her seat, obviously desperate to prove she wasn't a dunderhead. Severus paced as he talked, though really, he paced a lot in general.

"Potter!" He said suddenly, making Dove jump. Zabini and his goons sniggered. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Dove's heart pounded as Severus raised an eyebrow, daring her to answer incorrectly. Hermione's hand had shot up as soon as he had asked the question. She closed her eyes for a moment before answering unsurely. "A s-sleeping p-potion. It's called the Draught of Living Death." He gave a hint of a smile that no one else would recognize as anything other than a grimace.

"And where would you look if I were to tell you to find me a bezoar?" She knew this one.

"In the liver of a goat?" He stopped pacing and looked back at her with a sneer she had to remind herself was just for show.

"Tut, tut." He said. "Obviously, fame isn't everything. Are you able to tell your liver from your stomach? Or are all internal organs just the same to you?"

Her cheeks reddened and she looked down at her parchment. Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle were shaking in laughter. "No, sir."

"And what, pray tell dear Chosen One, is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"There isn't one," she said. "It's also called aconite."

"Aren't you a lucky guesser?" He drawled. "Or perhaps, _not_ so lucky?" He turned to Hermione who was now standing with her wriggling arm reaching toward to ceiling. "Sit down, you silly girl!" He snapped before putting them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Zabini, who he seemed to favor. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Zabini had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's five points from Gryffindor."

Dove could have cried, but instead stayed after class at Severus' behest. He motioned for her to sit down. "I have to be tough on you," he explained to her. "I believe the Dark Lord will come back. Lucius and I told you this, did we not?"

"Yes, sir." She replied despondently.

"He and I have to be on his side when that happens to help this one. And even if one of us is found out then the other has to be there to help Dumbledore and spy. I can't do that if I spend the meantime favoring you or being hard on them. Do you understand?"

"So you didn't mean it?"

"No, you did well even if you forgot one answer. The liver, Dove? Really?"

"At least I remembered what animal it was." She pointed out with a small smile.

"Almost only counts in horseshoes." He said, remembering Lily saying that once.

Dove didn't think she could ever hate anyone more than she hated Uncle Vernon, but that was before she met Blaise Zabini. Draco had told them he grew up with Zabini as his mother and her ex-husband were in business with Lucius. Moira Zabini, currently Moira Fawley, had a string of ex-husbands a mile long and circled followers of the Dark Lord in between marriages. Aunt Cissa didn't think too highly of her. Zabini and Draco had hated each other since they were in diapers. Luckily for Dove, Potions and Transfiguration were the only class she had with him. Unlucky for Draco, he was in the same House with him and even in the same room. Dove felt bad for him, but was still happy to have limited confrontations with him. Until one day when there was a posting for flying lessons, and Gryffindor would be taught alongside the Slytherins. Dove groaned.

"Great, I get to make a fool of myself in front of Zabini." Ron patted her back.

"You'll be fine," he said. "So, you've never flown before. You're still the Girl Who Lived."

"I don't think that makes her feel better," Draco told him. "Plus, he has flown before. He's not bad either."

"Seriously, Draco?" she said.

"I'll help you," he said. "And Uncle Severus could help. He used to be on the Quidditch team. Beater."

Zabini certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained passive aggressively that it was for safety the first years were not allowed to be on the House Quidditch teams, before turning around and stating the safety measures would not be necessary if the flying professor was anywhere worth the position. Draco himself complained to Lucius about not being able to bring his broom to school yet, but he'd never admit to actually agreeing with the other Slytherin about anything. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about flying on his brother Charlie's broom. He used to be the Gryffindor Seeker. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared his dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Dove had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move.

At least Neville Longbottom had never flown before, which made Dove feel better before feeling guilty about feeling better about it. Hermione, who shared Dove's dormitory with Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Jeralie Enton, was also nervous and you could tell. On the morning of flying lessons, she bored them all with facts she'd learned about in her books. Neville, and Dove though she'd be hard pressed to admit it, hung on her every word, eager to get any bit of help. With mail came a letter from Remus, who wished her luck on her first flying lesson, and Aunt Cissa who was looking forward to celebrating her first foot in the air. _If she even got off the ground,_ she said to herself _. And if she did get up it depended on if she landed in one piece._

A barn owl dropped a small package in front of Neville and he opened it excitedly, showing them a small marble ball filled with white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things - this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red - oh..." His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet.

"You've forgotten something." Ron said to state the obvious.

Neville frowned. "Problem is, I don't know what it is I've forgotten."

At three thirty that afternoon, Ron, Dove and the other Gryffindors headed to the Quidditch Pitch where the Slytherins were already waiting. Dove and Ron joined Draco and looked at the neat line of twenty brooms waiting to be used. Fred and George had told them about the issues with school brooms. Some vibrated if you got too high, others pulled to the left.

Madame Hooch arrived, a strict looking woman with short, spiky hair and hawkish yellow eyes. When she arrived Zabini immediately raised his hand and asked if it was true she was dating the Holyhead Harpies' Captain. Her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink and she pursed her lips.

"That, Mr. Zabini, is a Diagon Alley question. Should we meet there you may ask again. Now! Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on. Hurry up. Now, place your right hand over the broom and say 'up'."

Dove's broom jumped to her instantly, along with Draco's and Zabini's. Hermione Granger's simply rolled over and Neville's didn't move at all. Dove let out a breath and her heart swelled that she had done something right. And when Madame Hooch began showing them how to properly mount their brooms, she told Zabini he'd been doing it wrong all these years. His pinched facial expression made Dove's week.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two -"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet. Dove saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and -

WHAM - a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face-down on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight. Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Dove heard the woman tsk under her breath. "Alright, get up." She turned to the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville followed after her with a tear streaked face, clutching his wrist to him. As soon as they left Zabini chuckled disdainfully to his friends. "That poor oaf. I suppose it's not _his_ fault he's so incompetent. _Someone_ must be at the bottom to help boost the rest of us. Sad, really." Other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Zabini," Draco snapped at him.

Zabini stood face to face with him. "Did you have something to say, Malfoy? Have you been hanging around the Gryffindors so long you think you are one? Is that it? Trying to play hero for Potter's sake? Tsk, what would your father say if he saw you sticking up for some idiot?"

"Leave him alone," Dove said lowly.

"Look!" Goyle, who'd been staring into space said suddenly, darting forward to pick something up off the ground. "That stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." He tossed the Remembrall to Zabini.

"Give that here." Ron demanded hotly.

"Actually, I think I'll leave it for him to find. In a tree, perhaps?"

"Give it here!" Dove yelled, but Zabini had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Dove grabbed her broom and went follow, but someone stopped her.

"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move -you'll get us all into trouble."

She shrugged the girl off and mounted, kicking herself off the ground in a natural grace she didn't know she had. Blood pounded in her ears, air rushed around her and through her hair. There were gasps from below as she leveled with Zabini. Ron and Draco both let out admiring whoops. She couldn't believe this, she was doing this without having been taught. Finally, she felt like maybe she belonged in the Wizarding World after all.

"Hand it over now," Dove said. "Or I'll knock you off your broom."

"And I'm to believe _you_ , Gryffindor's golden girl, would do something so awful?" Zabini mocked. "You're going to have to work on your tactics, Potter."

Dove grabbed her broom and shot toward him like a dart, completely on instinct. Zabini dodged out of the way just in time, looking stunned. A few people clapped.

"If you want it so badly, go get it." Then with a malicious smirk, Zabini threw the glass ball high into the air before racing to get his feet on solid ground.

Dove, feeling as though the world was suddenly in slow motion, leaned forward on her broom- gathering speed and racing for the ball. The ground was rushing toward her and some of the students screamed, Draco and Ron being two of them. Wind whistled in her ears and she reached out, catching the Remembrall a foot from the ground and pulling up sharply before tumbling to the ground.

"DOVE POTTER!"

Dove stood up faster than she had dived after the ball, her heart pounding as Minerva stormed toward her. Dove thought she was going to throw up. She was going to be expelled, Severus was going to be angry and send her back to the Dursley's, and they were going to kill her.

"Never - in all my time at Hogwarts -" Minerva was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "- how dare you - might have broken your neck – when Severus hears-"

"It wasn't her fault- "

"Silence, Ms. Patil. Follow me, Ms. Potter."

Dove caught a gloating smirk on Zabini's face as she walked sullenly behind Minerva. When he saw her looking at him he winked. This was it. She was gone. She wanted to speak up for herself, try to explain, but the words stayed stuck in her throat.

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Minerva said nothing to her. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Dove trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking her to Dumbledore. She thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps she could be Hagrid's assistant. Her stomach twisted as she imagined it, watching Ron, Draco and the others becoming wizards, while she stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag. She wasn't sure what was worse.

Minerva stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside. "Excuse me, Filius. Might I borrow Wood for a moment?"

Dove backed away from Minerva, shaking. She knew she would be expelled, sent back to the Dursley's, but it hadn't occurred to her yet that they might beat her. A burly fifth year came out and Minerva turned back to Dove, her rare smile frozen on her face. "What's wrong, dear?" She must have realized what was going through Dove's mind because she stopped. "Dove, _this_ is Oliver Wood. I'm only introducing you. Wood, I've found you a Seeker."

Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight. "Are you serious, Professor?" he asked in a Scottish accent almost as heavy as Minerva's.

"Absolutely," said Minerva crisply. "The girl's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"

Dove nodded silently and confused. She wasn't sure what was going on, but it didn't seem like she was going to be expelled so she was able to starting breathing again.

"She caught it in her hand after a fifty foot drop, without even a scratch! Charlie Weasley couldn't have done that."

Wood appraised her with furrowed brow. "She's built for a Seeker. Light- fast- we get her on a decent broom and let her loose . . ." He trailed off and Minerva grinned at Dove.

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks. He will just have to sign off for her to play. I'm sure he will."

"Absolutely not!" He said firmly. "There's a reason we don't allow first years to play. She could get hurt."

"You should have seen her, Severus. It was more impressive than James Potter or Regulus Black on their best days." Severus twitched at the name of his enemy and old friend in the same sentence.

"Please, Dad? Oliver says he thinks I would be good. I'd be on a team, I've never been on a team like this before. And I've never seen Quidditch."

"All the more reason for you to wait a year."

"Why are you so afraid?"

Severus rounded on whomever would imply such a ridiculous notion, but stopped at the man leaning against the hearth with a charming half-smirk playing at his lips. "Uncle Remus!"

Remus pushed himself off and stood in front of Severus. "Professor McGonagall, I think maybe Dove should be returned to her friends while we discuss this. They must be worried. A certain Weasley twin I can think of is probably planning a break out as we speak."

"Oof!" A blur of red hair crashed through the doors and landed just behind Dove. He quickly stood up and grinned wildly. "Afternoon, professors." Remus smiled bigger.

"Fred, and-" Draco, Ron, and George peeked in after him. "Children."

When they were gone and it was only Albus, Minerva, Severus and Remus. The latter two stared at each other. "Why are you here, Wolf?"

"McGonagall thought you might need convincing."

"And _you_ are the one she called?" Remus shrugged.

"I know you're scared she'll get hurt, Severus."

"Do not presume to know anything about me, Lupin."

"She will get hurt, it's part of the risk."

"Quidditch is too dangerous a game."

"I mean it's part of the risk of having a child. Of her being eleven, being the Girl Who Lived, take your choice which one. You know, Fred and George Weasley are the Beaters. I remember you being really good at making sure nothing happened to Regulus, and he was just a friend. Do you really think Fred would let anything get near her?"

Severus said nothing, so Remus continued to the punch. "You know, she looks and acts so much like Lily that sometimes it is difficult to remember that she's _Dove_. She isn't Lily. Dove doesn't like to read everything she can get her hands on, she's cunning, allergic to strawberries, that's not Lily. And she isn't going to leave you. She _adores_ you. All Dove thinks about is making _you_ happy, _your_ approval. If you tell her she can't play, she'll accept that. But, that will just make it harder later. You have to let her do her thing." Remus laid a hand on Severus' nonchalantly, but the Slytherin stared through them.

"I just don't want her hurt."

"I know, but you can't help that. Just help her stand back up afterwards." Severus nodded, feeling manipulated but not really sure if he cared.

"Don't ever do anything like that ever again. You could have _fallen_ , you could have _died_ , you-you could have _expelled_." Draco whispered the last one and Ron, Dove, and the twins gave him a look.

"Don't you think being _dead_ is worse than _expelled_?" Ron pointed out.

"Hey," Fred nudged Dove. "Don't listen to him, little bird. That's wicked. George and I are Beaters. It'll be _our_ job to make sure _you_ don't get bloodied up too bad."

"Course accidents do happen, some deaths, disappearances." Fred smacked his twin and gave him a look.

"Having a last meal, Potter?" Zabini asked later at supper. "Might I suggest the roast beast, it happens to be a personal favorite of mine."

"You're a lot more sure of yourself on solid ground with your friends than you were on your broom." Dove observed.

"I would be more than happy to put you in your place on my own anytime."

"And what is it you think my place is?" Dove asked dangerously.

Zabini stood nose to nose with her. "Underneath my boot." He whispered. Ron held Draco back from attacking him. "Tonight, say midnight, in the trophy room. Wizards Duel, wands only, none of that barbaric, Muggle brawling. Just you and me. You, _have_ , heard of Wizard Dueling, haven't you?"

"Of course she has," Ron said as Draco declared himself her second. "Who's yours?"

Zabini lazily looked between his security detail. "Crabbe, I suppose. Not that I'll need him, of course."

"Of course." Dove echoed as he walked away. She turned to the others. "I have no idea what a Wizard's Duel is! What did you mean, my second?"

"Your second takes over for you if you die." Hermione Granger interrupted.

"But death only happens with real wizards. The most you two will be able to do is throw sparks at each other." Draco reassured her.

"What if my wand does nothing?"

"Throw it away and punch the git on the nose," Ron suggested like it was the obvious choice. "He probably wasn't expecting you to accept anyway." Hermione scoffed and Dove looked over at her.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying -"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"-and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's none of _your_ business." Dove stated.

Draco was going to meet them outside their common room and the three of them were to go to the trophy room together. Dove was nervous, having already broken a major school rule that day. She spent the time after dinner listening to advice that she was sure was terrible. She lay there listening to the steady breathing of the other four girls. It was very possible they would get caught by Filch and his cat Mrs. Norris, but when she thought of Zabini's face when they showed up to duel she knew she wouldn't be able to resist. At half past eleven it was time to go meet Ron and Draco. She pulled on her satin kimono robe Aunt Cissa had gotten her, black decorated with Japanese blossoms, over her night clothes. Dove grabbed her wand and crossed the room to race down the stairs. Ron was waiting for her, but before they could reach the portrait hole a lamp clicked on. "I can't believe you're actually going to do this, Dove."

It was Hermione Granger, in her fluffy pink robe and a frown, waiting for them.

"Do you just follow us around to try and help us save ourselves?" Dove asked incredulously. "Come on, Ron." She pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"What's going on here?" Draco asked. Hermione stopped at him and blushed before continuing her rant.

"I can't let you guys do this."

"Then come with us," Draco drawled with a shrug. "Just to be sure we don't get ourselves into too much trouble."

Hermione opened her mouth and shut it again several times before nodding inaudibly. The four rushed down the halls, Hermione a few yards behind and still unsure, but the trophy room was empty. Minutes crept by.

"He's late, maybe he chickened out." Ron said.

"No," Draco contradicted. "He wouldn't. But he _would_ \- "

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." It was Filch. And Mrs. Norris. Draco grabbed Dove and pulled her to the other side of the room.

"He sold us out," he whispered angrily. They heard the door open and Filch enter the trophy room. Draco motioned for everyone to move back and away from the door. Hermione squeaked as she tripped, grabbing hold of Ron and bringing him down with her- toppling over a domino effect of suits of armors. The clatter echoed down the hallway, making the group flinch.

"RUN!" Dove shouted and the four ran down the hallway, not turning to see if Filch was following. Dove was in the lead, with Draco right behind her and the other two behind him. She led them down random, unfamiliar corridors before tumbling through a secret tunnel and landing somewhere near the Charms classroom- miles away from the trophy room.

"Let's go."

It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves - please - you'll get us thrown out."

Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves this was a big mistake.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door - and it was locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!" They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.

"Oh, move over!" Hermione and Draco chorused before Hermione grabbed Dove's wand and motioned to the door with it. "Alohomora."

The lock clicked and the door swung open. The four piled in through it just in time to hear Filch catch up. "Where did they go?"

"Say 'please'."

"I'm not messing around, Peeves, where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please." Peeves said in a sing song voice.

"Fine, please."

"NOTHING! HAHAHHAAHHAA! I told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please!" They heard Peeves whoosh away and Filch curse in rage.

Dove breathed a heavy sigh of relief and rested her head on the door. "He thinks the door is locked. Let's get out of here- what?" Ron tugged on her arm and she turned around. Her eyes widened to a comical size and she was sure this was just a nightmare.

They weren't in a room, as she had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden. They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs. Four screams filled the corridor, along with a growl from the thing, and they pushed one another back out of the door, running to the Gryffindor Tower as fast as the three of them could without looking back once until they reached their destination.

"Where have you been?" The Fat Lady demanded indignantly, taking in their heavy breathing and sweaty faces. "And you- you're not in this House!"

"It doesn't matter!" Dove insisted. "Pig snout, pig snout!"

The portrait swung open with a huff and the four collapsed into various armchairs, except Hermione who paced back and forth in front of the fire. "I _told_ you it was a bad idea, I _told_ you!"

Draco turned to Dove. "Does she make you think of- "

"Dad? Definitely. The pacing- "

" -the always being right- " Ron continued.

"Well I _was_ right." Hermione said.

"What are they doing, keeping that thing in a school?" Dove asked.

"You didn't look at its feet." Draco murmured, rubbing his face like Lucius had the habit of doing when he was tired or stressed.

"Of _course_ we weren't looking at its feet, if you didn't notice, it had _THREE_ _HEADS_!" Hermione shushed Ron.

"Didn't you see what it was standing on?" She asked.

"The _floor_?" Dove guessed. "To be honest, I was a little preoccupied with its _heads_."

"Not the floor." Draco told them. "A trapdoor. It's guarding something."

Hermione stood up and glared. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed -or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

The three of them stared after her before Draco commented, "She _needs_ to sort out her priorities."


	7. Halloween

Chapter seven: Halloween

Zabini couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Dove, Draco and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. In fact, by the next morning Dove, Draco and Ron thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one. In the meantime, they couldn't stop talking about the trapdoor and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," Dove thought.

Hermione didn't show the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor- and was now refusing to speak to Dove and the boys. She was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. Lucius and Narcissa had heard about them bending the first year rule for her to play, and promised to be at her first game. All Dove and the boys really wanted now was a way of getting back at Zabini, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. Dove was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it in front of her, knocking her bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. Dove ripped it open excitedly, recognizing Severus' handwriting, his elegant handwriting he only used for special documents and grading, interweaved with Remus' commentary. **(Severus' writing is in bold,** and Remus' writing is underlined.)

 **Do not open this at the table, and do not gloat or it will be confiscated.** Severus! Don't listen to him, Prongslette. No one is going to take your broom. **I thought the whole point of this was for it and her joining the team to be a surprise? It was your idea.** Surprise? It's a bloody six-foot-long, thin package. Did you expect her to think we sent her a new set of quills? **You know, I didn't ask you to be here. Shouldn't you be somewhere else? You have a home, go to it.** Aren't you touchy today? Is it that time of the month? Dove got the idea there was a long pause after Remus said this before Severus continued on. **Anyway, please open this somewhere private. You may bring the boys to my office tonight for dinner if you think you can wait that long to open it. Yes, the wolf will be here. Though why I'm not . . .** Why can't we be friends, Severus? I did apologize for that- **I just don't think that's a good idea. I shall see you tonight, Dove.**

Remus had, with an unspoken acceptance from Severus, been staying on Severus' couch for the last week since Minerva had called him for assistance. They had begun to move around each other in sync, finding that after the summer of seeing each other and Dove every day that they didn't like going back to before. Of course, Severus still got to see Dove in class every Friday, but he still rarely got to see her and Remus never did. The two even kinda sorta enjoyed each other's company. Remus had indeed apologized to Severus for everything from their school days and expressed a wish to become friends. Severus outwardly refused of course, but couldn't explain or justify to himself why. He _did_ like having the wolf around though, even with the impending full moon.

That evening at five after six, there was a knock at the door. Remus went to answer it as Severus had taken it upon himself to cook Dove's, and ironically Remus', favorite food- shepherd's pie. Dove, Ron, Draco, Fred, and George filed into the sitting room and Remus couldn't help but chuckle at this. He had no doubt there would be enough food, as Severus had the same habit as Molly Weasley- making ten times more than was actually necessary. However, Severus would no doubt be bitter about so many in his private chambers. Dove hugged Remus tightly.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him with a smile, the still wrapped broom in her hand.

He smiled back. "Just haven't worked up the motivation to go home, I suppose." In truth, he didn't want to be alone anymore. He'd been alone since that awful night those years ago, losing all of his best friends in one dreadful night, and now that Dove was back and Severus had more or less forgiven him, he didn't want to be. He saw no reason for it. Severus didn't seem to object to his presence too strongly, or really not at all, so why not?

"Did you have to bring everyone?" Severus asked, leaving the kitchen to hug Dove.

She smiled. "You _did_ say I could bring the boys, it was _you_ who failed to specify which ones or give a limit."

"Just go set the table," Severus complained in jest, before addressing the twins. "And you two. Should I find myself at the opposite end of any sort of prank, I shall know who was responsible and the two of you will _wish_ I only owled Molly. Am I understood?" Their faces went pale and they hung their heads guiltily. "Now, come eat."

After everyone was stuffed to the gills, they all took seats in the sitting room to watch Dove unwrap her broom. Remus and Severus sat on the loveseat together, looking natural next to one another, Draco, Dove and Ron sat around the package on the floor with the twins behind them. Severus took a sip of his tea before motioning for her to get on with it. She opened it eagerly, throwing paper to either side of her with an animation they hadn't really seen yet. This was her first broom. When it was bare of its wrappings she and the boys goggled at it in shock. A moment later Remus and Severus had a combined lap of girl as she hugged them almost to the point of asphyxiation.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She rushed out. Then she went to examine it more with her friends.

"It was a good idea." Remus complimented him once everyone had gone back to their dorms.

"You're the one who picked it out, all I did was come along and pay. You did the hard part." Severus and Remus looked at each other. "You know, you've been here a week. And you were over all summer nearly everyday and- "

"And you want your place back. I didn't mean to impose."

"No! No, that's not what I mean. I mean, you aren't as hard to live or get along with as I originally thought." He paused. "I have been thinking about selling my house and moving. I just never had a real reason, but now I have Dove and I'm not sure Spinner's End is the best place for her to spend her summers. I haven't made any decisions where, or any specifications other than at least two bedrooms and somewhere for a lab and garden. Maybe, I can look for somewhere you can come along? You would get to see her more often, I know both of you would like that, and I could use some help with her. Just in case I can't deal with something or she doesn't want to talk to me. You understand her better. Of course, that's only if you want."

"I would love that." He whispered, though why he wasn't entirely sure, but he didn't think it right to not to. "Not just for Dove either. I-I think- I don't know. But we aren't enemies anymore."

"No," Severus agreed. "Not enemies anymore." They stared at each other for a moment, tension rising, before Severus blinked and let out his held breath. "I should probably get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." And Remus was alone.

Dove and Draco and Ron snuck out almost every night to practice her flying with the two boys, and occasionally the twins, throwing golf ball sized objects for her to get. They had decided not to mention the broom to anyone until her first game, not that people didn't ask, but it was amusing to see Zabini's face. He wanted to know, but refused to lower himself to ask. Oliver Wood was so happy he almost danced when he watched her fly on her new Nimbus 2000.

On Halloween, the castle woke to the aroma of pumpkins baking, and even better that Professor Flitwick seemed to think they were ready to make things fly, something they couldn't be more excited to learn. He paired every one off to practice. Dove was more than happy to have Seamus Finnegan when you consider that someone had to get Neville. She had nothing against Neville of course, he was very nice, but that didn't mean she wanted to fail almost every assignment with him. Especially when she didn't know what she was doing either. He usually paired off with Hermione Granger, who in this instance was paired with Ron. Dove couldn't decide who was angrier at this, Ron or Hermione, of course the latter hadn't spoken to them since Dove got her broom.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

It was very difficult. Dove and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it – to which Dove couldn't help but laugh loudly as she put it out with her hat.

Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Dove heard Hermione snap, groaning inwardly. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class. "It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Dove as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor on the way to Draco, "she's a nightmare, honestly. "

Someone knocked into Dove as they hurried past her, knocking her into Ron. It was Hermione. Dove caught a glimpse of her face - and was startled to see that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you."

"She's probably realized it was true," Ron defended, but his face was screwed up in guilt.

Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Dove and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of his head- but not Dove's. She wrung her hands until she stood up and went to find Hermione and apologize.

"Hermione?"

"Dove?"

"Hermione, please, come out and talk to me. I'm sorry about what Ron said, and I'm sorry I haven't really been all that nice to you. Please, come down to dinner. Sit with us."

"No, I just, he was right. I don't have any friends, I never have."

Dove nodded to herself before she stood on the counter she'd been sitting on and climbed over the stall, jumping down next to Hermione who had been standing. She held her hand out to the crying girl. "Now you do. Hi, I'm Dove Potter."

"I'm Hermione Granger."

"Well Hermione, what do you say you and I- "Bang! Hermione and Dove yelped as something crashed into the bathroom. Dove pulled Hermione down and shushed her as she looked under the stall at enormous feet. "Hermione, what's that?" She whispered.

"I think it's a troll." She replied, searching her mind for the books she had read on Magical Creatures. "Mountain Trolls are the most dangerous of their breed, best to be avoided."

"Just give me the highlights, Mia." Hermione smiled at the nickname.

"Bald with pale-grey skin, up to twelve feet tall, weighing over a ton, um, troll whiskers can sometimes be used as wand cores, sheer strength, destructive tendencies. Found in mountainous country sides."

"Follow me." Dove crawled underneath the stall to the sinks with Hermione right behind her just as the troll crashed through the wood with his club, splinters shot out everywhere, cutting both girls. The troll then shattered a sink that the girls barely avoided. Hermione screamed as a larger sliver of porcelain imbedded itself into Dove's side.

"Dove, Hermione!" Draco and Ron rushed into the bathroom.

"Confuse it!" Draco said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall. His heart pounded with the creature so close to his sister. The troll stopped a few feet from the girls. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Draco. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oy, peabrain!" Ron shouted as he threw a pipe at the troll. The troll didn't even notice it, but it did give Hermione time to rush away from it. Dove, however, was stuck flat between the large thing and the wall, her face dirty and streaming with tears- terrified.

"Draco! I'm stuck." She pointed to her foot pinned under a piece of wall. "I can't move!"

Draco ran to her and tried to pull the wall off of her, but it barely budged. Hermione shouted for him to just pull Dove as hard as he could toward the door- which worked, if hurting her foot more. At least she was free to move. Hermione helped her out of the way, the shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Draco then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Draco hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Draco's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped - it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Dove facepalmed and groaned. "That is so gross."

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Draco clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.

Ron pulled out his own wand -not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club then rose into the air—up, up, up—and then down with a hard crack onto its owner's head. The troll stumbled before falling in slow motion to the floor with a loud thud. Draco climbed down, breathless. Ron looked between his wand and the fallen beast with an enlightened expression as Draco went to pull his from the nose. A trail of greenish slime followed it and he tried flicking it to get it off. The others all grimaced as it got all over everyone.

"Like I said, gross."

"Seriously, mate? Why would you do that?"

Hermione launched herself at Draco and Ron, hugging them both. "Thank you, guys, so much, and you, Dove. I mean it, I- "

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Minerva had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Severus and Remus, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart. Remus crouched to Dove's side, but she cried out when he touched her side.

"Severus! She's hurt." Severus joined them and smoothed her hair.

"What happened here?" Minerva asked with cold fury, her lips were white and none of them had ever seen her so angry. "You could have died. You'd better have a _very_ good explanation as to why you are not in your dormitory."

Hermione took a step forward. "It's my fault, Professor."

Dove moved to cut her off. "No! Hermione, wait. Minerva, please, there's an explanation I promise." She groaned at her side and foot.

"I went looking for it," Hermione continued. "I've read about them, and I thought I could handle it. Dove came after me to talk me out of it, and Draco and Ronald came to save us when it was too late. Without them I'd probably be dead."

"You foolish girl!" Minerva said, surprised as everyone else. Hermione Granger straight out lying to a teacher? "Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this. I'm very disappointed in you. And you three, five points each, for sheer dumb luck."

"Yes," Severus said. "That's all well and good, but we need to get Dove to the hospital wing." He went to move her, but she screamed.

Remus held onto her. "Severus, we can't move her until we get this out of her side. I'll hold her, you pull." Severus grabbed hold of it sticking out. "One, two, three!" He pulled it out and she screamed again. Hermione covered her mouth, upset she got her first friend hurt. Remus picked her up to carry her and everyone else followed.

"Her side is going to be fine, it missed anything too important. Her foot is broken, but it should be fine by tomorrow if I can get some more Bone Mending Potion. I am also going to need more Blood Replenishers." Severus nodded, kissing Dove's forehead and looking to the werewolf.

"I'll watch over her, you go ahead." Remus nodded. Severus and Remus locked eyes for a moment before Severus left to his private lab.

Hermione had slivers of all sizes pulled out of her face and arms, Draco only had a few scratches and a sprained knee, Ron only had scratches.

"I can't believe you lied for us," Draco said in the chair next to Hermione, beside Dove's bed.

"Well, you guys did save my life." She said shyly. "And Dove's my friend. But, now she's hurt because she came after me."

Dove grabbed Hermione's hand. "It's okay. Looking back, I mean, we took on a mountain troll. What did you say? 'Most dangerous of their breed and best to be avoided'? We still did it and came out relatively unscathed."

"Unscathed?" Remus asked. "Your foot is broken, there was a seven inch piece of porcelain sink sticking out of your side, and I have never seen Severus so upset in my life. You will always have these scars."

"At least we won't forget each other any time soon." Ron pointed out.

Remus ignored him. "And what do you mean you lied? What really happened?" Hermione blushed and he smiled. "Remus Lupin, nice to meet you. I was a close friend of Dove's parents. Now tell me."

By the time they finished their story, Severus was back and Dove was half asleep. He sat beside her and Remus and moved her hair out of her face. "Hey you," he whispered. "Just like Lily and Potter, rushing in to play the hero without any concept of the danger you could be in. Why didn't you use your portkey?"

"Portkey?" Remus asked teasingly. "Would that be an illegal portkey you made without the Ministry's approval?"

Severus glared at him. "It's for emergencies." He turned back to Dove. "Which this was an emergency! Why didn't you use it?"

"I didn't know it if would take both of us." She replied. "I couldn't just leave her there, Daddy, she's my friend. It was our fault she was there in the first place. Ron said something awful and she was there because of it. I went to bring her to dinner when the troll got there."

Severus nodded and looked at the other students. "Thank you for helping her. Ten points each."

Remus smiled at the other man's actions. "You all should probably get some sleep. Madame Pomfrey said she'd let you go in the morning. It was nice to meet you Hermione, truly."

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots. The students had heard about the troll incident and asked questions about how they survived, but none of them answered any. Dove, Draco, Ron, and Hermione were friends from that moment on and Remus and Severus saw them together constantly, to the point Dove invited her to dinner with the two adults. Aunt Cissa sent Draco a letter telling him how proud she was that he had gone to help Dove. And then the Quidditch season began. On Saturday, Dove would be playing in her first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.

Severus was looking forward to it, even if he had to root for Gryffindor. Remus would obviously be in attendance. The Malfoy's were planning to come watch. Dove couldn't be more nervous. No one was to know she was on the team as the had agreed it would be a huge surprise. Thank God for Hermione and Draco, the only reasons Dove got any of her homework turned in on time.

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. The day before Dove's first Quidditch match the four of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. Hermione had convinced Dove to read Quidditch through the Ages and she was learning a lot. Draco had apparently read it already, but not even Quidditch could convince Ron to read in his free time. He did, however, listen to the things she learned. That was when Severus limped through and Dove remembered their conversation about Halloween.

 _"_ _What's wrong with your leg?" She had asked. Remus and he shared a look as Remus was bandaging it the best he could._

 _"_ _Nothing, just tripped."_

 _"_ _Don't lie to me, Dad. You're the most graceful person I've ever met."_

 _Severus furrowed his brow. "Graceful? I'm not graceful."_

 _Remus nodded in agreement with Dove. "You actually are pretty graceful. Always have been. It's in the way your robes move with you."_

 _"_ _What happened?" Dove asked again. "It was the dog wasn't it? On the third floor?"_

 _"_ _Why were you on the third floor?" Remus and Severus asked simultaneously. Dove blushed and took a sip of her pumpkin juice._

 _"_ _It was an accident. Zabini challenged me to a duel and Draco kind of accepted on my behalf. I couldn't back out! But then when we got there, he had told Filch that we would be there. We ran and somehow ended up in front of Cerberus!"_

 _The two men stared at her unblinkingly with open mouths and she took another long drink from her glass. "Quirrell was trying to get through it." Severus said mechanically, still giving her a surprised and confused look. "I went to stop him."_

 _"_ _How did it get you?" She asked incredulously, ignoring Remus trying to give her the cutoff signal._

 _"_ _Damn thing!" Severus said in an angry outburst. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at the same time?"_

Dove couldn't sleep that night. She stayed awake staring at the ceiling and wishing the next day would just get itself over with. When morning finally came it was cold, and try as she could she couldn't convince herself to eat anything.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry."

"I am," Ron mumbled through a mouth full of food. Dove grimace and thought she might be sick.

"I can tell."

"Cheer up, little bird," Fred told her with a charming grin. "George and I will be there to watch out for you. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." She smiled back at him and took a very small bite of toast.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes. Ron, Draco, and Hermione sat in the stands together with Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas who had welcomed Draco as an honorary Gryffindor, and by this time almost all of the Gryffindors knew Dove would be playing Seeker. The crowd was buzzing.

Meanwhile, Dove was in the locker rooms changing into her scarlet uniform and trying to swallow that lump in her throat. She held onto her locket and kissed it for luck as Oliver Wood cleared his throat for silence.

"Okay, men," he said.

" _And_ women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Dove as he squeezed her hand for encouragement, "we were on the team last year."

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it." He glared at them all as if to say, 'Or else.' "Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

Dove followed the Weasley twins out to the pitch, though really, they nearly had to drag her. Madame Hooch stood there to referee, her spiky hair particularly spiky today. "Right," she said in her firm voice. "I want a good clean game from all of you." Dove noticed that she, and everyone on the Gryffindor team, was almost glaring at the Slytherin Quidditch Captain, Marcus Flint- a sixth year who was looking at Dove with a sick grin like he had just been handed his heart's desire on a platter. Fred and George moved in front of her slightly as if to tell him to back off. Dove's heart skipped and she felt braver with her friends there. She could do this.

"Mount your brooms." Dove seated herself with ease, just as she'd been taught, and when Madame Hooch blew her shiny whistle fifteen brooms rose high into the air. And they were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too -"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Minerva.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle -that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead- come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses -GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

Dove was, to be completely honest, bored. She hovered there, squinting for the Snitch. Once she caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting her way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Dove dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.

"All right there, Dove?" he had time to yell, worried, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the -wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Dove saw it. In a great rush of excitement of actually doing something, she dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch -all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

Dove was faster than Higgs - she could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead - - she put on an extra spurt of speed -

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Dove on purpose, and Dove's broom spun off course, Dove holding on for dear life.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides. "So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul

'Jordan, I'm warning you -"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

It was as Dove dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past her head, that it happened. Her broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, she thought she was going to fall. She gripped the broom tightly with both her hands and knees. She'd never felt anything like that.

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck her off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Dove tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal- posts- she had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out- and then she realized that her broom was completely out of her control. She couldn't turn it. She couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated her.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet -passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no...

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Dove's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying- her slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Severus- "

"I know." Severus interrupted Remus as he tried to counter whatever Quirrell was doing to her broom. Remus watched carefully, not sure what else to do. Lucius helped Severus counteract it as well, his wife clutching her purse tight.

"Dove!" Remus heard Fred shout. People were pointing now at Dove's broom and it jerking almost to the point she couldn't hold on. And then it was all she could do as she hung from the broom, her sweaty fingers slipping. One hand slipped off and she couldn't grab back hold.

"Let go, Dove!" Fred shouted from below her. "I've _got_ you. Let go."

Hermione, who'd seen Quirrell from her binoculars, climbed the stairs to the teacher's box. Whipping out her wand she muttered her spell and Severus' robes caught on fire. She groaned, meaning to get Quirrell's, but the blue flames made such a stir it broke everyone's eye contact as Dove let go of her wild broom. There were screams, including one from Narcissa, and she landed in front of Fred on his. Dove laughed almost hysterically as Fred wrapped his arms around her to steer.

"You okay?" He asked.

Dove nodded. "Uh huh. Look! The Snitch." She pointed just a few yards away and he moved his hands for her to take over. She sped towards it, and coincidentally the ground, in a moment of déjà vu. Fred held onto her tightly and closed his eyes as she outstretched her hand, dangerously close as a high speed. She moved up on the broomstick and Fred took control back as she leaned over more and fell, tumbling in a roll before coughing something gold into her hand.

All around the stands and over the intercom was an uproar of cheers and hollers, as they all flooded the Quidditch Pitch. Fred spun her around before she was tackled by Draco, Ron, and Hermione- the latter of which was breathless and almost in tears. Remus hugged her, but Severus hung back.

"He wants you and your friends to come by later. He wishes he could be right here." Remus told her when he caught Dove looking at her guardian's distance. She nodded.

That evening, Dove brought everyone by just as Remus said. Severus lunged at her as soon as she passed over the threshold, looking over her, asking if she was okay, and finally embracing her tightly.

"I was so worried, oh thank Merlin you're okay. That last thing, what were you thinking? You could have hurt yourself! You could have hurt your friend! All for a stupid game?" He hugged her tighter. "I can't believe I let you all talk me into this insanity. And _you_!"

He approached Fred with Dove still in his hold, and held out his hand. Fred took it hesitant, and obviously nervous about doing so. "Thank you for saving her." Fred stood up straighter and shook the older man's hand.

"I'll always be there to, sir."

Severus then turned to Hermione, though Dove wasn't sure why. "Miss Granger. That was some impressive spellwork. Am I right in assuming it was meant to ruin someone else's set of robes?"

Hermione blushed before nodding. "I'm sorry, sir. I thought they were his."

"Think nothing of it, however, should I find myself on fire again I shall know who to find for it." She paled and nodded, everyone giving her strange, or in the twins' case admiring, looks. Draco's parents gestured to her and she hugged them both.

"Watch your back," Lucius told her seriously. "This summer we will have to teach you a few defense spells, yes?"

"Okay. I love you guys." They hugged her again, hugged Draco, and went home.

Fred and Dove walked back to the Tower together, side by side.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I was so scared and I didn't know what to do and then you were there. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"I meant what I told Professor Snape: I'll always be there when you need me to catch you- or crash with you." She laughed at the reference to King's Cross when they went through the barrier.

"I'll see you in the morning," he promised when he saw her walk up to her dormitory after Hermione.

"Good night, Fred."

 **Hey guys! So if you haven't already noticed, yes. Blaise Zabini has replaced Draco Malfoy as the antagonist in almost every way. I am always open to suggestion and if you ever REALLY want to know something ahead of time, don't hesitate to message me. If I have an answer I will answer it if it is what you really want- but no spoiling it for the others. Hope you enjoyed it! -Skye**


	8. Erised

Chapter eight: Erised

Talk of the game and her catch was all anyone seemed to be able to talk about. A few came up to her to ask what happened with her broom, but she never answered. She knew it was Quirrell and Severus and been around constantly, watching to be sure Quirrell didn't get anywhere near her. Sometimes when she didn't realize Severus was even there . . .

"It was Quirrell," Ron explained to Hagrid one afternoon for tea. "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing her broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off her."

"I saw that too," Draco said.

"Why would Quirrell do somethin' like that?"

Dove, Draco, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Dove decided on the truth. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween, using the troll as a distraction. Dad went after him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot. "How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy?"

"You mean the thing has a name- "

"and it's Fluffy?"

"Yeah, he's mine. Bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the- "

"Yes?" Dove asked eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Quirrell's trying to steal it. Dad got hurt going to stop him."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "He's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort. Maybe Snape's just mistaken. And if he was, then you should let the professors handle it. You could get hurt."

"So why did he just try and kill Dove?" Hermione cried. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and he wasn't blinking at all, I saw him! Even with Mr. Malfoy and Professor Snape both trying to counter it"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Dove's broom acted like that, but Dumbledore wouldn' hire someone who'd try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh, yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel -"

"Aha!" Dove exclaimed. "So, there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?" Hagrid looked furious with himself.

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and Fred and George were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban, Dove didn't feel bad for the professor for a moment. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. Dove, Severus and Remus would be staying at Hogwarts over break and Dove was told to expect to every year as Severus wanted to be close for the Slytherins who weren't going home. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Severus' classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

Zabini had been worse since the game, bitter that Slytherin lost. He began trying to trick Draco or Dove into doing something. He kept on that next year they could replace Dove with a wide mouthed tree frog. Even his own House was getting annoyed with him.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Zabini's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to." He turned to his friends and asked them loudly. "Shall I contribute to the charity, gents? After all, it's only right to help the less fortunate." Ron and Draco both lunged at him at the same time, with Hermione stuck in between, just as Severus came downstairs.

"WEASLEY! MALFOY!"

"They was provoked, sir. 'E was talking 'bout Ron's family!" Hagrid tried to explain.

"Be that as it may, Hagrid, fighting is against school rules. Five points each. Zabini! I told you last week your essay on hellebore needed to be rewritten. Why is it not on my desk by now?"

Zabini's cheeks turned a slight pink. "I shall bring it tomorrow morning."

"You had better." And Severus was on his way, sharing a secret wink with Dove.

Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Zabini's back, "one of these days, I'll get him -"

"I'll help." Draco seethed in agreement.

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the four of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to -the Great Hall, where Minerva and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree - put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me: Dove, Draco, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," Draco said, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.

"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working," Dove told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here - I've told yeh - drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," Hermione reasoned innocently.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Ron added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere. Just give us a hint. I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin, said Hagrid flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," Ron sighed dramatically, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.

They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Quirrell was trying to steal? Dove figured that if she knew what was at stake, then she could help Severus guard it. The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

Bored and needing to stretch her legs, Dove wandered the library glancing around for any titles that might be useful. Somehow without realizing it, she ended up in the very back over by the Restricted Section. She traced a finger along the gate leading in, wondering to herself if it might be in there. Unfortunately, you needed a signed note to go in and she doubted Minerva or Severus would sign one for her. Dove turned to mention it to the others and came face to face with Madame Pince, the librarian who disliked _everyone_.

"What do you want, girl?" She demanded.

"N-nothing, just taking a small break on studying. Stretch the limbs, you know." Dove began backing away from Pince and the Restricted Section carefully, as though from a wild animal. They had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Quirrell, or Severus and Minerva, hearing what they were up to. Dove very seriously doubted her father would be all that understanding about their focus at the moment. In fact, it was almost guaranteed she'd get in trouble. He had already told her not to worry about Quirrell, that he had it, but she couldn't help it. She was curious and just felt the need to get involved. They had been searching for two weeks, and still nothing. It was very discouraging as Ron and Dove saw Hermione and Draco off to the train.

"Now, keep looking over break," Hermione said. "I'll see what I can find."

"I can look in our library at home." Draco offered. "I could even ask- "

"No," Ron said. "Don't ask anyone. If they know, then they probably won't tell, and if they don't they might ask Professor Snape why you're asking."

Dove nodded. "Ron and I will keep looking here. I think we might be able to get into the Restricted Section if we go at night."

"And get caught by Filch again? Or Fluffy?" Hermione whispered.

"Last time he already knew we would be there, and this time we know our way around the castle better. We shouldn't get lost."

Once the holidays had started, Ron and Dove were having too good a time to think much about Flamel. They had the dormitory to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork, bread, English muffins, marshmallows, and plotting ways of getting Zabini expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work. They spent a lot of time with Remus and Severus. Remus still had plenty of stories about Dove's father, both of them. He even told her about the numerous times Lily shot James down when he wanted to go out with her. He said James knew from the moment he saw Lily, that that was the only girl for him. Severus then admitted quietly, but everyone heard, that Lily had that effect on people. You couldn't help but fall in love with her.

On Christmas Eve, Dove and Ron slept in a huge, comfortable pallet on the floor of Severus' sitting room- though some time in the middle of the night she woke Severus up by crawling into his bed to cuddle. This time, as opposed to the last, he was able to fall back asleep afterwards. However, he woke up early the next morning. Remus was already awake and making tea so they sat at the breakfast nook and drank tea, slowly shaking the last remnants of sleep from their heads. Remus watched Severus carefully, the dark corners of sleep not the only thing he was trying to get out of his mind. He'd had that dream again. Ron woke up next, bleary eyed and cold. Severus insisted they wait a bit longer for Dove to wake up, but when she was still asleep at ten, he went to wake her.

"Dove, wake up."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"No." Severus growled at the trick and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and carrying her out to the other two. She squealed in laughter and tried to get away, but he dropped her onto the couch in front of the mountain of presents waiting- begging- to be opened. She stared at it open mouthed.

"Those are presents." She stated in a wistful voice.

"Well spotted." Severus complimented.

Ron tossed her one, a long thin one. "This one's from Hagrid."

"For me?" She asked, still in a daze.

Severus snorted. "No, he threw it at you because it's for Granger." Remus gave him a look.

"Of course it's for you, Prongslette." Dove carefully unwrapped it, that increasingly familiar swell in her heart. She pulled out a roughly whittled flute, obviously done by Hagrid himself, and blew on it. It sounded like an owl. That swell grew.

Severus and Remus sat back and watched as the two first years began tearing through presents with no more hesitance. Remus had gotten his host something, but he was unsure about it. And Severus had a gift for the werewolf, but he wasn't sure if he would give it to him. They weren't enemies anymore, but not friends either. Severus tried think of how to word it, but found whatever description he came up with to be lacking.

"You've got a Weasley sweater." Ron said with pink ears. Mrs. Weasley was apparently infamous for them. Severus was sure he still had one in his closet somewhere, but he wasn't going to go looking for it. Dove pulled out the emerald green sweater with her initial and grinned, slipping it on over her night clothes.

"It's brilliant." She said.

There was a large box of Chocolate frogs from Hermione, along with a note to remind them to look in the library. Draco sent her a special sketchbook that makes your pictures move once you finish them. Aunt Cissa and Uncle Lucy, he knew she called him this and she didn't think he liked it, sent her a book on proper etiquette and a couple new dresses.

Severus handed her a box from him and Remus both, wrapped half in silver and half in gold. She was especially careful to unwrap this one, that surge of emotion threatening to burst through her skin. Inside was her first Wizarding camera, along with scrapbooking materials and a few picture frames. Remus also got her a red umbrella shaped like a heart that she absolutely loved. Severus, while she was distracted by everything, whispered a spell on her locket that parents used on younger children to find them if they were lost or hurt. Better than a Point Me spell.

Finally, there was only one gift left. It was light and Dove unwrapped it, curious as there was no note. Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds and Remus inhaled sharply. Severus looked over.

"It's an Invisibility Cloak."

"It was James'." Remus said. "I remember it well."

"Potter had an Invisibility Cloak?"

Ron picked a note that fell with the cloak and read aloud. "Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. A Very Merry Christmas to you."

Severus snatched it out of his hand and read it for himself before handing it to Remus. "Albus. No. Absolutely not. This is too much. He is asking her to get in trouble!"

"Well, actually, I think this is him trying to make sure I don't." Dove pointed out. Severus cut her off with a glare, moving to the fireplace to call Albus.

"Grayson Residence. Albus!"

"Severus? I'm afraid he went out, probably in hopes of avoiding this conversation. He sent Dove that cloak to help her. And yes, it comes very much in handy to her and keeps her more or less out of trouble. Even helps you I think."

"And if I- "

"Confiscate it so she can't use it at all? Albus would just find a way around that."

"You're- "

"Yes, I'm sure she won't get hurt because of it. It saves her life. And I do know that it's annoying when I do that."

"Right." Everyone watched the scene with interest, all wondering who the girl on the other side was.

"Oh! And Severus? Watch out for Hagrid, loose lips and all."

Dove and Ron looked at each other nervously. That girl knew about Hagrid's slip up. Maybe they should ask him about this mysterious person. Severus ended his Floo call with a red face and glared at the shimmery fabric in Dove's hand.

"Severus?" Remus called later. "Are you alright?"

"Why do you care?" He snarled. He had been quiet since that morning. "Did you use it to sneak up on me? Is that why I could never get away?"

"I can't go back in time and take it back, Severus. I wish I could, but I can't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we were awful to you. I'm sorry that yes, we used the cloak and the map to torture you. I'm sorry we ruined your friendship with Lily. I'm sorry Sirius tricked you that night into coming beneath the tree. I can't do anything about it now. Please, Severus. Please, can't we just forget all of that and be friends. Or maybe- " Remus took a deep breath. "I would love to at least be friends."

"What do you mean, at least?" Severus asked quietly.

Remus took a step closer and kissed him gently, just the slightest touch of his lips.

That night, alone under her new cloak, Dove opened the portrait and snuck out into the corridor. Everything was quiet, and actually very peaceful. She decided she rather liked the idea of sneaking out in the future just to walk around. She couldn't believe she had her father's cloak. Something to connect her to James Potter beyond a few pictures and a name.

The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Dove lit a lamp to see her way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though Dove could feel her arm supporting it, the sight gave her the creeps, but it a strange good way.

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, she held up her lamp to read the titles. They didn't tell her much. Their peeling, faded gold letters spelled words in languages she couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. The hairs on the back of Dove's neck prickled and she smiled with this adrenaline. Maybe she was imagining it, maybe not, but she thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be. She had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, she looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. A large black and silver volume caught her eye, looking almost exactly like a book Severus had that she wasn't allowed to touch. She pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on her knee, let it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence - the book was screaming! Dove couldn't help but let out her own scream in surprise before she snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. She stumbled backward and knocked over her lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, she heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside - stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, she ran for it. She passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through her, and Dove slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in her ears.

She came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. She had been so busy getting away from the library, she hadn't paid attention to where she was going. Perhaps because it was dark, she didn't recognize where she was at all. There was a suit of armor near the kitchens, she knew, but she must be five floors above there. Dove sighed heavily, thinking to herself that someone should really think about making a map of some sort.

Just ahead of her was a door slightly ajar, behind her she could hear footsteps and she felt something calling her. So she followed it to a strange room. It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket, but propped against the wall facing her was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way. She walked through the clutter in a sort of trance, until she stood before it. A magnificent mirror with ornately carved claw feet, with a height the reached the ceiling. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. It was almost as if the rest of the world melted away when she stepped in front of it. She gasped, a soft breath of air, at the group she saw instead of just her.

Dove glanced around her, but she was still alone. She recognized her mother, Lily. Her bright green eyes, red lips, and heart shaped face Dove had inherited. Beside Lily was James Potter, grinning in a subdued way that made her sad. His unruly hair was just that, like someone had ruffled it just recently. They stood on one side of her, and on the other stood Severus- smiling lovingly. Standing to his right, with his arm hanging loosely around the Slytherin, was Remus. He winked at her with a smile. Behind her stood the rest: Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Minerva, Albus, George, and Fred with his hand intertwined in hers. She blushed before taking in everything again. Her family. "I'll come back," she promised in a whisper.

The next morning, she picked at her breakfast.

"You could have come and got me." Ron told her.

"You can come tonight," she said, still distracted. "It was amazing. You were there, in the mirror. So was Dad and Remus and Fred- "

"Did someone say my name?"

"I can tell you're George," Dove said as George sat across from her and Fred sat beside her.

"How?" Ron asked through a mouthful of bacon incredulously.

Dove stammered. "Well, you know, Fred has more freckles on his nose and cheeks. George has them on his forehead."

The twins looked at each other curiously, no doubt thinking of ways to switch their freckles. What Dove feared most was that she might not be able to find the mirror room again. With Ron covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much more slowly the next night. They tried retracing Dove's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour- even spying Fred and George on a run to the kitchens for snacks.

"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back."

"No!" Dove hissed. "You don't understand. I know it's here somewhere."

They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Dove spotted the suit of armor.

"It's here, just here, yes!"

They pushed the door open. Dove dropped the cloak from around her shoulders and ran to the mirror. There they were. His mother and father beamed at the sight of him. Severus was happy. Remus wasn't lonely. She had family who loved her.

"See?" She whispered.

"I can't see anything."

"Look! Look at them all... there are loads of them..."

"I can only see you."

"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am."

Dove stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, she couldn't see her family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pajamas. Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.

"Look at me!" he said.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?"

"No, I'm alone, but I'm different. I look older- and I'm head boy!"

" _What_?"

"I am! I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup. I'm Quidditch captain, too." Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Dove.

"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"

"How can it?" Dove asked. "Lily and James Potter are dead."

Remus looked up when Severus entered the kitchen. It was late and though they shared that kiss that made his knees weak to think about, they hadn't been in the same room since. It wasn't necessarily awkward, but it wasn't _not_ awkward either. Severus had kissed him back, that was a good sign- right? But then he just left and stayed in his room almost the entire next day. Remus had admittedly thought about going back to his house, not wanting to force Severus into making a decision- or not making a decision as it currently stood. Remus got up from the table to leave, not wanting to impose, but Severus stopped him.

"What do you want from me?" He asked with an undertone of desperation.

Remus took in a deep breath. "I don't know. That's a difficult question to answer. I want to be near you. I want to be friends at least, but I suppose if you don't want to after last night I understand. I just- you. I just want you. Whatever way you decide you want."

Severus sat down across from him. "I have no experience in this sort of thing. I've never been in a relationship. I've never gotten close to anyone since Lily. I haven't wanted to. I'm difficult, mean, and too stubborn to change any of that."

"And you iron your socks." Remus pointed out very seriously.

"You fold yours." He countered.

"Touché." Remus traced the rim of his teacup. "I'm a werewolf. I can't change that, but I care about you. I care about you a lot. I don't have any experience with this either. I haven't shared more than my name really in ten years. But I want to. You asked me what I want. What do you want?"

There was a pause and Remus didn't think the other man was going to answer. But then, "Okay. Let's give it a shot."

The third night Dove found her way to the mirror much faster than before, despite Ron asking her not to go back. She sat on the stone floor watching her family. In this world, James and Severus were old friends and Lily didn't break his heart, but instead push him toward Remus. She wrote out scenarios in her head of how things _could_ have been.

"Back again, Dove?" Her head snapped up at Albus. He was sitting on a desk behind her with his grandfather smile. "I see you, like many before you, have discovered the wonder that is the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, sir."

"Surely, dear girl, you've realized what it does?"

"It shows me my parents, Dad is happy, Remus isn't alone anymore. Ron-"

"- sees himself as Head Boy and Quidditch Captain. Yes, I know."

"How did you know?"

"It is an amazing thing, how oblivious one can be when one is invisible."

"He's really upset about that."

"Yes," Albus said. "I knew he would be, which is why I let Evangeline talk to him."

"How does she know things? Did you tell her?"

Albus smiled again, "Miss Grayson is special. Sometimes, a lot of times, she just knows things. Such is second sight." He took a deep breath. "This mirror shows you nothing less than your heart's deepest desire. The happiest man in the world would look in it and only see himself as he is."

Dove looked away from the mirror to the Headmaster. He continued in a more serious note. "However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.

"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Dove, and I must ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"

Dove picked up the cloak and headed toward the door before turning back. He was looking at the mirror forlornly. "Sir? What is it that _you_ see when you look into the mirror?"

"I? I see myself holding up a pair of thick, woolen socks? One can never have too many socks. Alas, another Christmas has passed and I didn't get a single pair. People insist on getting me books."

Dove could tell he wasn't being truthful, but to be fair, it _was_ a very personal question. She supposed she should have expected such an answer. She did quit going out at night, and her new Invisibility Cloak lay untouched in her trunk for the rest of the holiday.

Severus stared at the fire in his favorite chair, waiting for Remus to walk into their chambers. It was only the second full moon since he'd been staying at Hogwarts, the first since they'd decided to try a relationship. Remus was supposed to come back here where Severus would help- rather than having to explain to any students why he was in the Hospital Wing. Dove didn't know, and while they planned on telling her to prevent future problems, they didn't want her to find out by seeing him hurt after a bad night. They hadn't told her about them either, but that they were going to next they saw her. Just then the fire turned an emerald green and a head popped through.

"Severus!"

"Poppy?"

"Come quick, bring your potions. Remus has had a bad run of things."

With a sinking feeling, Severus grabbed his bag and rushed into the fireplace. As soon as he passed through, he saw Remus- bloody and in obvious pain. He was groaning and writhing on the bed. When he saw Severus he whimpered and reached for him. Severus grabbed his hand and started pulling potions out of the bag. First, a pain reliever.

"It's going to be okay," he said. "Here, drink this." He tipped the vial and massaged his throat so it went down easier. After a few seconds, Remus calmed down. Madame Pomfrey came over with a wet rag and wiped the blood from his face. Blood Replenishers next.

"What happened?" Severus asked. "You took your potion, didn't you?"

"Yes," Remus said. "But, there's something wrong. Something is going on in the Forbidden Forest. There's dark magic everywhere. The inhabitants are almost all in hiding. The centaurs have been pushed back."

"Get Albus here," Severus told Madame Pomfrey.

Hermione and Draco came back the day before term started back, the former was horrified Dove had been roaming the castle after dark, and disappointed that even with the roaming they were no closer to finding out who Nicholas Flamel was. Draco thought it was amazing. Dove was sure she had read the name somewhere before, she just couldn't remember where. So, they were back to scouring the library every day in hopes of stumbling across something.

Oliver Wood began pushing them harder in their practice, being more serious than Dove was sure was healthy for him. Though, lately she'd been having her terrible nightmares again and they seemed to disappear when she was exhausted after Quidditch practice. Snow had begun decreasing, and in its stead, a valley of mud surrounding the castle, particularly the Quidditch Pitch. Then one day Oliver let out his reason for being so strict when Fred and George were playing around, dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.

"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's _exactly_ the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"

George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words.

"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."

The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.

"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us." Everyone looked at Dove.

"It'll be okay though, right?" Fred whispered to her after practice. "I mean, you're his daughter."

Dove shook her head. "He _has_ to favor Slytherin. He doesn't have a choice. He told me he can't favor me and he _has_ to them for- reasons. Even if Slytherin isn't playing, he still has to look like he hates us."

"So, we're doomed?" She nodded.

"Why can't someone _else_ referee this match?" Dove whined, pacing back in forth with Remus and Severus sitting on the loveseat, both very amused. "I mean, you never referee and you'll have to be awful. Then the whole team will be mad at _me_."

"I want to be close so if something like last time happens, I can stop it. Remus will be in the stands, I will be on the field. Everything is covered. Just play as clean as you can, then I won't have any reason to dock you points."

"You'll make something up, I know it." Dove accused before stopping mid-step. "Did you just call him Remus?"

Severus' cheeks flushed. "That is his name is it not?"

Dove crossed her arms and studied the two. "It is, but you only ever call him Lupin. Or Wolf. What's going on?"

"There, you see?" Remus pretended to complain. "You've gone and turned her into a Slytherin. Neither her parents were this observant."

"Lily could be from time to time."

"Dad! Tell me."

Severus had agreed she deserved to know, but still wasn't sure how to address it. How do you say it? "Severus and I are seeing each other." Remus said for him, interweaving their fingers like they'd been doing whenever they were just relaxing or talking. The relationship began easy and smooth, like it was already habit. Natural.

"Oh," Dove said confused. Then, "Oh!" She grinned big. "I'm so happy for you guys." She hugged them both before taking a picture with her new camera and skipping back to her dorm, Quidditch game forgotten.

Later, she was depressed again- telling Hermione, Draco, and Ron about Severus refereeing and even his and Remus' good news. Hermione and Draco didn't seem surprised. She expressed to them her thoughts that if they lost, the team would be angry with her since he was her father.

"Don't play," Draco said.

"Say you're ill," was Ron's contribution.

"Pretend to break your leg." Hermione suggested.

"Really break your leg." Draco and Ron chorused. Dove groaned and hid her face in her hands as the portrait opened and Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.

Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the countercurse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Dove, Draco, and Ron.

"Blaise Zabini." He muttered. "Met him outside of the library. He said he was looking for someone to practice on."

"That's ridiculous!" Dove exclaimed, happy to be able to express her irritation on something reasonable. "You should have cursed him back!"

"Go to Professor McGonagall." Hermione told him.

"Minerva would only be able to take it to Dad, and he would let him go without any points taken or detention. He has to."

Draco and Ron groaned at the same time.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" Draco said. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor. Zabini's already done that," Neville choked out.

Dove felt in the pocket of her robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given her for Christmas. She gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Zabini," She insisted.

"Yeah!" Ron agreed. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Zabini? In stinking Slytherin."

"No offense, Draco." Dove said quickly.

He shrugged. "I love being in Slytherin, I just can't stand some of the others in my House."

Neville smiled shakily. "Thanks. Did you want the card, Dove? I know you're collecting them now."

Dove took it and Neville went upstairs. She glanced down absentmindedly before gasping. "Draco! Look. I've found him! I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here - listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!"

Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework. "Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. The other three barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms that Dove had seen beside her bed

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself. At last she found what she was looking for.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" Ron said grumpily. Hermione ignored him.

"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"

This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected, except Draco's jaw dropped.

"The what?" Dove and Ron asked.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look, read that, there."

She pushed the book toward them, and Dove and Ron read: The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).

"See?" Draco said when they had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" Dove said. "No wonder Quirrell's after it! Anyone would want it."

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," Ron added. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

Dove had decided she had to play, not that she had really thought to not to all that seriously. Fred tried to comfort her before the game, telling her that even if everyone else stopped talking to her- which he very much doubted- he and George would still be there. Ron, Hermione and Draco came to wish her good luck. They had invited Draco to sit with them in the Gryffindor stands since Slytherin wasn't playing and he was dressed all up in Hufflepuff colors, just to play devil's advocate.

"Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favor Hufflepuff too much." Oliver's words echoed in her ears as the game began.

Draco, Ron, and Hermione watched the game carefully, switching from Dove to the teachers box where Quirrell sat between Remus and Albus- looking very put out. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on her broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?" It was Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle.

They didn't answer; Severus had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. No one saw the faint smirk Severus gave the Beater. Hermione, squinted fixedly at Dove, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch. So far so good and there was no sign of a cursed broom.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Zabini asked loudly a few minutes later, as Severus awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. An inspiring notion, really. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents. Then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money. You should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Zabini. "I'm worth twelve of you, Zabini," he stammered.

Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter. "Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Dove and the game, but it was Draco who replied. "I'm warning you, Zabini, one more word- "

"Look" Hermione said suddenly, "Dove- "

"What? Where?"

Dove had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. She streaked through the air at higher a speed than anyone had ever seen. Hermione stood up suddenly, her crossed fingers in her mouth.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" Zabini said.

Draco snapped. Before Zabini knew what was happening, Draco was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help.

"Come on, Dove! You've got it!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Dove sped straight at Severus, she didn't even notice Zabini, Draco, and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.

Up in the air, Severus turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches. The next second, Dove had pulled out of the dive, her arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in her hand. The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.

Dove couldn't be happier as Fred and George lifted her onto their shoulders and paraded her around. She'd done it. She had caught the Snitch again, they won without Severus being too awful to the Gryffindor team, and she was able to see the aftermath of the fight between her friends and Zabini. Remus congratulated her and Severus sent her an approving nod and wink. Draco walked in front of them, announcing her superiority in the ancient art of Quidditch, and even Hermione was having fun without lecture.

 **~  
Just a reminder, feel free to ask any questions about the story, I will answer. I hope you liked it. As always, review please! They make me happy like a clean sheet of paper. **


	9. Trouble

Chapter nine: Trouble

In the weeks after, Dove could swear that wherever she was, there was Quirrell as well. When she wasn't at classes, she stayed either in the Gryffindor Tower or Severus' chambers. However, as the weather turned warmer, she and her friends spent more and more time outside. Studying. Hermione and Draco insisted on studying for their end of year exams.

"But they're ages away!" Ron argued.

"Ten weeks." Draco and Hermione chorused.

"What are you studying for anyhow?" Dove asked. "You already know the material. Both of you do."

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy?" Hermione fussed. "You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me..."

"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming.

Dove, who was working on an essay for Severus' class, sighed. "We've been at it forever it seems. Can't we take a break? It's a beautiful day. Let's go enjoy it."

"Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?" Ron asked. Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St -"

"Shh!" Hagrid looked around to see that no one was listening. "Don' go shoutin' 'bout that- whassa matter with ya?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," Dove said. "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy -"

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen - come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh -"

"See you later, then," Dove said. Hagrid shuffled off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?" Draco asked.

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table. "Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so. " Dove informed them.

"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" Hermione asked.

"Oh yeah," Draco said. "Loads. Father found one on a business trip once. The Ministry went through quite a bit of trouble to cover it up too."

When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them. It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.

"So, yeh wanted to ask me something?" He asked nervously.

There was no sense in beating around the bush. "What else is guarding the stone other than Fluffy?"

"And who's Evangeline Grayson?" Hermione added, not having been able to forget that since Ron and Dove mentioned that strange girl.

"I can't tell you that." Hagrid said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts - I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy. Or Eve."

"But you know everything that goes on around Hogwarts." Draco replied. "Really we just wanted to know who had done the guarding. Who Dumbledore trusts enough to ask- apart from you of course."

Hagrid smiled. "Well, let's see. 'E borrowed Fluffy from me. And each o' the perfessers put up a defense. Perfessers Sprout, McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and uh- oh! And Perfesser Quirrell o' course."

"Quirrell?" Dove asked dejectedly. "But, no one knows how to get around Fluffy, right? Not even the teachers?"

"No one 'cept me and Dumbledore knows that." Hagrid declared proudly.

"Can we open a window?" Ron asked. "It's awfully hot."

"Sorry, Ron. Can't do that." Hagrid looked back at the fire anxiously.

Draco and Dove caught on. "What is that?"

There in the fire, was a black egg. Ron gaped. "How ever did you get it? It must have cost you a fortune!" Hagrid grinned.

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin' , said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library - Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit - it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here - how ter recognize diff'rent eggs - what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.

But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.

So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut. "Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, as evening after evening they struggled through all the extra homework they were getting. Draco and Hermione had now started making study schedules for Dove and Ron, too. It was driving them nuts.

Then, one breakfast, Hagrid sent a note with just two words. 'It's hatching.' Dove and Ron were both incredibly excited, as was Draco when they told him. Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down, and to be honest so did Dove, but if she did it was very possible that Severus would hear about it. Hermione was also insistently against it.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing -"

"Shut up!" Draco whispered.

Zabini was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How much had he heard? Dove didn't like the look on his face at all.

Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end, Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other three during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Draco was already there. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited.

"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.

The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it. They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath.

All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; Dove thought it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes. It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout. Dove did _not_ squeal at the cuteness.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs. "Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!"

"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face - he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's the matter?"

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains - it's a kid -he's runnin' back up ter the school."

Dove bolted to the door and looked out. Even at a distance there was no mistaking him.

Zabini had seen the dragon.

Something about the smile lurking on Zabini's face during the next week made Dove, Ron, Draco and Hermione very nervous. They spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.

"Just let him go," Dove urged. "Set him free."

"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in Dove's ear. She hated to agree.

"Hagrid," she tried to reason with him. "Give him two weeks and he'll be as long as your house, if you can keep him secret until then. Zabini could go to Dumbledore any moment."

"I know I can't keep him forever." Hagrid sniffed. "I just don't want to let him go so soon."

"Charlie!" Draco said suddenly.

"You've gone mad!" Ron said. "I'm Ron."

"No," Hermione said. "Your brother, Charlie. The one who deals with dragons. Can't you send him a letter? Ask him if he could take care of Norbert?"

"Brilliant!" So they sent Hedwig to Romania. The week dragged by and Wednesday saw Dove and Hermione studying in the Gryffindor common room. The clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait swung open and Draco and Ron tore off the Invisibility cloak. They had been down helping Hagrid feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.

"It bit me!" Ron said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when we left, he was singing it a lullaby."

There was a tap on the window. "That'll be Hedwig with Charlie's answer," Dove said. "Let her in."

Dear Ron,

How are you? Thanks for the letter - I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon. Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark. Send me an answer as soon as possible.

Love,

Charlie

They all looked at each other.

"The cloak should be able to cover three of us and Norbert," Draco said with what Dove called his thinking face.

"Shouldn't be too difficult."

There was a hitch. By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey - would she recognize a dragon bite? By the afternoon, though, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Norbert's fangs were poisonous. Dove, Draco, and Hermione found him on a hospital bed at the end of classes.

"It's not just my hand," he told them. "It feels like it's going to fall off, but Zabini told Madame Pomfrey he had to borrow one of my books so he could have a laugh at me. Then he threatened to tell her what really bit me. I told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me. He's doing this 'cause we hit him at the Quidditch game."

"It's alright," Hermione said. "It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday."

Ron groaned. "Midnight on Saturday? Oh no! Charlie's letter was in the book I gave Zabini!"

"It's too late to change the plan now," Dove told them after Madame Pomfrey ran them off. "We don't have time to send another owl, this is our only chance to get rid of Norbert. And we've got the Invisibility cloak. Zabini doesn't know about that."

They found Fang, the boarhound, sitting outside with a bandaged tail when they went to tell Hagrid, who opened a window to talk to them.

"I won't let you in," he puffed. "Norbert's at a tricky stage - nothin' I can't handle." When they told him about Charlie's letter, his eyes filled with tears, although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the leg.

"Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot - jus' playin' - he's only a baby, after all."

The baby banged its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle. Dove, Draco, and Hermione walked back to the castle feeling Saturday couldn't come quickly enough.

They would have felt sorry for Hagrid when the time came for him to say good-bye to Norbert if they hadn't been so worried about what they had to do. It was a very dark, cloudy night, and they were a bit late arriving at Hagrid's hut because they'd had to wait for Peeves to get out of their way in the entrance hall, where he'd been playing tennis against the wall. Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate.

"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely." From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded to Dove as though the teddy was having his head torn off.

"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as they covered the crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it themselves. "Mommy will never forget you!"

How they managed to get the crate all the way up to the castle, they couldn't tell you. Midnight creeped closer as the three heaved the heavy crate up staircase after bloody staircase. Years later though, when telling their story, Draco would try to claim he carried it on his shoulders without help. At this point, Dove or Hermione would just smack his arm or give him a look.

"Nearly there," Dove panted. Then a sudden movement nearly made them drop it. Forgetting they were invisible, they hid in the shadows.

"Detention!" Minerva said, dressed in her night robe with her hair in one long braid, holding Zabini by his ear. "And twenty points from Slytherin. Wandering around at night, how dare you- "

"But, Professor, you don't understand. Malfoy and Potter- they've got a dragon!

"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on - I shall see Professor Snape about you, Zabini!"

The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Hermione and Draco did a sort of jig.

"Zabini's got detention! I could sing!"

"Don't," Dove advised her.

Chuckling about Zabini, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate. About ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out of the darkness.

Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed them the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them. They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then Dove, Draco, and Hermione shook hands with the others and thanked them very much.

At last, Norbert was going... going... gone.

They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them. No more dragon - Zabini in detention - what could spoil their happiness?

The answer to that was waiting at the foot of the stairs. As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.

"Well, well," he whispered with a nasty sneer. "We _are_ in trouble."

"They'd left the cloak at the top of the tower.

It could not have been worse. Filch led them to Minerva's office where she proceeded to lecture the three of them before taking fifty points from each. That was when Neville came into the picture, trying desperately to warn Dove about Zabini before it was too late. Dove gave him a smile, knowing what it must have taken for poor, bumbling Neville to come find her. They each received a detention on top of the point loss, which Dove supposed she could have lived with, until Minerva made a Floo call and Severus came through- obviously having been disturbed. Dove shrank back into Draco.

"Dove Lilith- " He never used her last name if he could help it. "Would you care to explain to me what you are doing out and about so late?"

"I- uh, I, I was just- no sir. I really don't."

"Very well," he said with a dark face, angry she was misbehaving and not telling him why. "Then you will be coming with me. Say good night, Dove."

She couldn't help it. It just came out. "Good night, Dove," she replied. His face darkened even more and she gulped. She hadn't gotten into trouble with him yet. Would he belt her? Starve her? Lock her in a closet? She started sweating. He gripped her tight when they went through the Floo. Remus sat tired on the couch, having waited up for Severus.

"Sit down." Severus growled. Then to Remus, "She was wandering the castle with her little friends up on the Astronomy Tower, no doubt with that cloak of hers." Dove blushed guiltily.

Remus looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I thought Ron was in the infirmary?"

"Yes!" Severus pounced. "What did bite Mr. Weasley? Or are you going to stick to that silly story of the dog as well?"

"It wasn't silly," she defended Ron's story. It was the best he could come up with.

"Right. And please, tell me why it is I have Blaise Zabini telling Minerva about a dragon?" Dove paled and looked away. Severus took a step toward her and she flinched out of old habit. He stopped in his tracks, thinking of his own father. He knelt down. "Dove," he whispered. "I'm not going to hit you. I'm not going to deny you food, or lock you in a broom closet. I am very upset and disappointed, but I love you."

He hadn't even realized he said it until she looked at him wide eyed, never having been told that before. "You love me?" She asked timidly.

After a moment of pause at the enormity of what he was saying, he nodded. "I love you, of course I love you, and I can love you and still be angry. You know what has been going on around here with Quirrell, but you specifically went out at night with no one else around but your friends. You put yourself in danger."

"I'm sorry," she cried, now feeling incredibly guilty, and launched herself at him with open arms. "I didn't even think about that, we were just trying to help."

"Tell me why." He insisted. "I promise I won't tell anyone else unless it poses a threat to a student's safety. Only me and Remus will know."

She glanced between the two of them teary eyed, before hanging her head and telling them the whole story about the dragon, Charlie, Ron's hand, and Zabini finding out. At the end of it she yawned big and nuzzled her head against Remus. Severus kissed her head before leaving to rummage through a drawer in his lab. He came back through. "I'll be right back," he told Remus. "I'm just going to give this to Madame Pomfrey, now that I know what bit him." Remus shooed him off with a smile.

When Severus came back through the Floo, Remus and Dove were both asleep on the couch- Dove's head on Remus' chest and his arm around her shoulder. Severus smiled and snapped a photo before joining them.

At first, the Gryffindors thought the hourglass must be mistaken. After all, how else could they have dropped a hundred and fifty points since last night? Slytherin did drop seventy, but that was no where near as bad. When it was heard that the precious Dove Potter and his friends lost the points, they didn't try to hide that they were talking about her. Ron and Draco stood by her, but Hermione distanced herself. For her and Neville it wasn't so bad, as they weren't as well known. In Quidditch practice, everyone referred to her as merely "the Seeker." Only Fred acknowledged her, and even that was mostly a sad look from across the distance.

Severus had no sympathy for her. The morning after what she called "The Dragon Incident" Severus announced to her that she was grounded. Remus snorted, but she was confused as to what that meant. Apparently 'grounded' meant that whenever she wasn't in class or at Quidditch practice, she was in Severus' chambers. He originally wanted to ban her from Quidditch as well, but Remus argued afterwards that it would be unfair to punish them for her behavior.

Dove was almost glad the exams were almost here. Severus allowed Ron, Draco, and Hermione into his chambers one hour every evening- provided they were studying. Either he or Remus were always supervising to be sure they weren't goofing off. She had resolved to stop meddling, as it had only gotten her into trouble. That is, until about a week before exams were due to start. She had stopped at the library in between classes, needing to get a book for Professor Binns class. On the next aisle over she heard Quirrell's trembling voice.

"No- no- please not again." She stepped closer before she could think to stop herself. "All right," she heard him sob. "All right." Then he straightened his smelly turban and walked away, not even noticing she was there.

Now she was confused. Should she mention this to Severus? Or just leave it be? She mentioned it to her friends during studying that night.

"We can't tell Uncle Sev," Draco argued. "He'd kill us for sure for knowing what we know."

"But we can't just leave things alone," Hermione said. "What if Quirrell goes after the Stone? It sounds like maybe he knows how to get past Fluffy."

"But he'd never be able to get past Dad's defenses, whatever they are. "He isn't smart enough."

"What's our next move then, Dove?" Ron asked.

"Nothing," she answered. "We've done enough."

The next morning Dove, Hermione, Draco, Zabini, and Neville each got identical slips of paper in Minerva's hand. It simply read: Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall. Dove had forgotten they still owed a detention on top of the slew of points they'd lost. She half expected Hermione to complain about a whole evening of studying, wasted. But she just folded the slip of paper and slipped it into her pocket.

At eleven o' clock that evening, Draco, Hermione and Dove trudged down to the Entrance Hall with Neville. Zabini was already there. Mr. Filch held up his lantern and motioned. "Follow me."

He taunted them on the way down. "I bet you'll think twice before you break anymore rules, won't you? Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well-oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They could see a light on in Hagrid's hut and heard a shout. "Filch, is that you? Hurry up I want ter get started!"

Dove could have collapsed in relief, afraid of what their detention could be if Filch was so delighted. It must have shown on her face because he gave a nasty smile. "Oh, you think you'll be having fun? It's into the forest for you lot."

Neville let out a little moan and Zabini stopped in his tracks. "The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night. There's all sorts of things in there- werewolves, I heard."

Neville clutched the sleeve of Dove's robe and made a choking noise. She squeezed his hand comfortingly.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Dove, Draco, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Zabini now turned to Hagrid."I'm not going in that forest," he said, and Dove and Draco both were pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yehve got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my mother knew I was doing this, she'd- "

" tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer mother'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on"'

Zabini didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment." He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Zabini asked, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," Zabini said quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. " So me, Dove, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Blaise, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now - that's it - an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh - so, be careful - let's go."

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Dove, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Zabini, Draco, Neville, and Fang took the right.

They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves. Dove saw that Hagrid looked very worried.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Dove asked.

"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before." They walked past a mossy tree stump. Dove could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.

"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter - GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

Hagrid seized Dove and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.

"I knew it, " he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"A werewolf?" Dove suggested.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."

They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself - I'm armed!"

And into the clearing came - was it a man, or a horse? To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Dove and Hermione's jaws dropped.

"Oh, it's you, Ronan," Hagrid said in relief. "How are yeh?" He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Dove Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."

"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm -"

"A bit," said Hermione timidly.

"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight." Dove cocked her head to the side at this, remembering something Remus had said once. He happened to enjoy Astronomy and helped her with all her work. Mars . . . .

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt - you seen anythin'?"

Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again.

"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home, said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured - would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Dove and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.

"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" Dove asked.

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns - never heard anythin' like it before."

They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Dove kept looking nervously over her shoulder. She had the nasty feeling they were being watched. She was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them. They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.

"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"

"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.

"I don't care if Zabini has, but if something's got Draco- or Neville... it's our fault he's here in the first place."

The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Dov's seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?

At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Draco, Zabini, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Zabini, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks. Draco had then apparently tackled Zabini.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups - Neville, you stay with me, Draco an' Hermione, Dove, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Dove, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."

So Dove set off into the heart of the forest with Zabini and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Dove thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Dove could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.

"Look -" she murmured, holding out her arm to stop Zabini.

Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.

It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Dove had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves. She wanted to cry.

Dove had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made hers freeze where she stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered... Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Dove, Zabini, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Zabini let out a terrible scream and bolted - so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Dove, unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Dove. She couldn't move for fear.

Then a pain like she'd never felt before pierced her head; it was as though her scar were on fire. Half blinded, she staggered backward. She heard hooves behind her, galloping, and something jumped clean over Dove, charging at the figure.

The pain in Dove's head was so bad she fell to her knees. It took a minute or two to pass. When she looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over her, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Dove to her feet.

"Yes - thank you - what was that?"

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Dove, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Dove's forehead.

"You are the Potter girl," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time - especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Dove could clamber onto his back. There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.

"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter girl. The quicker she leaves this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling her?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best, " he said in his gloomy voice.

Bane kicked his back legs in anger.

"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"

Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Dove shrieked and had to grab his shoulders to stay on.

"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

And Firenze whisked around; with Doves clutching on as best she could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.

Dove didn't have a clue what was going on.

"I thought that was very noble of you," she told him. "Standing up to Bane like that. Why was he so angry? What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"

Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Dove to keep her head bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer Dove's question. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Dove thought Firenze didn't want to talk to her anymore. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.

"Dove Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used -for?"

"No," Dove answered, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

Dove stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.

"But who'd be that desperate?" she wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?"

"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else - something that will bring you back to full strength and power - something that will mean you can never die. Ms. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course - the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who -"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Dove's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, she seemed to hear once more what Severus had told her when they had met: "Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."

"Do you mean," Dove croaked, "that was Vol-"

"Dove! Dove, are you all right?"

Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.

"I'm fine," Dove said, hardly knowing what she was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."

Dove slid off his back.

"Good luck, Dove Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Dove shivering behind him.

"Quirrell wants the stone for Voldemort" she told her friends the next day. "and Voldemort's waiting in the forest... and all this time we thought Quirrell just wanted to get rich or something..."

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

Dove wasn't listening.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so... Bane was furious... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen... They must show that Voldemort's coming back... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me... I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

"Calm down," Hermione said. "Who's the one person everyone always says scares You-Know-Who?"

"Dumbledore," Draco answered. "So as long as he's here you're safe. He can't touch you."

"Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

The night before, Severus and Remus both smothered her in worry, and vowed to watch after her even more closely. When she went to bed in the new room the castle made for her in Severus' chambers, she found her Invisibility cloak under the sheets with a note. 'Just in case.'


	10. Stone

Chapter ten: Stone

Later, Dove would never be able to tell how she had gotten through exams, half expecting Voldemort to come through the door at any moment. Her grounding was over, but she still stayed in Severus' chambers- more often than not waking him and Remus up with her nightmares. She tried to deal with her scar burning as there was nothing Severus was able to do for it. No pain reliever worked against it.

On occasion, she or one of the others would press their ears against the door on the third floor to be sure they could still hear Fluffy's growl. So far so good. It was innervatingly hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell.

They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap dance across a desk, hers did more of a drunken tango. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox - points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers, hers was fairly nice looking even if it did have tiny whiskers. She argued that it just made it look cuter. Severus made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion, hers was a shade off- but still very usable. The last one they had was History of Magic, which she wasn't too worried about.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," Hermione said as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill and Dove was inclined to agree, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. "No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Dove, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

"Is it your scar again?" Draco asked, worriedly. "You should tell Uncle- "

"Why?" She burst out in anger. "There's nothing he can do about it, I've already told him. None of us knows what it is. I just wish it would stop!"

Dove couldn't get rid of this feeling she had forgotten something important. It was like a whispering between her ears. The Stone, she wished she could get it out of her head. It's not like anyone would be able to get past Fluffy anyway. Hagrid- she bolted upright, suddenly going pale.

"Dove? What's wrong?"

"Hagrid! We have to go see Hagrid." Without waiting for an answer, she ran toward his hut. She banged on his door until he opened it and she slip past him. Pacing back and forth with her hands in her hair- acting amusingly like Severus when he was stressed, she asked "You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."

Everyone is stared at him.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head -that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

Dove sank down next to the cuppa Hagrid set out. "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he - did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Dove asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep -"

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey -where're yeh goin'?"

Dove, Draco, Ron, and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

"We've got to go to Albus," Dove stressed. "H-he told the stranger how to get past Fluffy. I bet you anything it was either Quirrell or Voldemort. Where's Albus' office?"

They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where he lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him. The one time she had gone there, she was too out of it with anxiety to remember.

"We'll just have to -" Dove began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.

"What are you four doing inside?" It was Minerva, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said firmly.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Minerva repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

Dove swallowed- now what?

"It's sort of secret," she said, but she wished at once she hadn't, because Minerva's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" Dove said frantically. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Miss Potter, he has many demands on his time -

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic?"

"Professor- it's about the Sorcerer's Stone -"

Whatever Minerva had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up. "How do you know -?" she stuttered.

"Professor, I think - I know - that- that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

She eyed her with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"He will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor -"

" _Miss_ Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

But they didn't.

"It's tonight," Draco thought aloud, once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Quirrell's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will be surprised when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we -"

Hermione and Ron gasped. Dove and Draco wheeled round.

Severus was standing there. "Good afternoon," he said smoothly, eyeing his daughter suspiciously. "What are the four of you doing inside on a day like this? Weren't you just telling me how excited you were that the weather was nice?"

"W-we were just heading out there now," Dove lied, and hated herself for it. Outside on the steps, she turned to the others. "We've got to tail Quirrell. Tonight, we've got to go after him before he can get to the Stone."

"We'll be expelled," Hermione said.

"I know," Dove said thickly. She would be expelled, and this time there was no way Severus wouldn't get rid of her, but she felt like she had to do this. "I have to. This is more important. Voldemort killed my parents. He killed more than just them and if he comes back, he'll do worse. But I can stop it. I'm going to stop it. Tonight I'll take the cloak and go after him."

"Will it cover all four of us?" Draco asked decisively. Dove looked at him stunned.

"A-all four of us?" She echoed.

"You're my best friend," Hermione said with a smile. "Of _course_ I'm coming with you."

"From now until forever," Ron said, rather poetically. "You have us. We're coming with you. Always."

Dove hugged him tightly. "You'll all be expelled too."

"Father's on the Board of Directors, _and_ he works at the Ministry. I think I'll be fine."

Ron shrugged. "Mum'll kill me, sure. But maybe after that she'll send me off to live with Charlie."

Hermione smirked. "Professor Flitwick's told me in confidence that I scored a 120 on my exam. They're not going to expel me after that." Draco glared at her, not having let go of the competitiveness.

That night she told Severus and Remus, who had been rather secretive lately, that she would be sleeping in the Gryffindor Tower that night. Draco, who'd been sleeping in Gryffindor Tower most of the year anyway, stayed up with Ron playing Wizard's Chess until everyone in the dorm was asleep. Hermione and Dove met them downstairs, but before they could go out of the portrait, Neville stopped them.

Neville stared at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again," he accused.

"No, no, no," Hermione said. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

Dove looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Quirrell might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.

"You can't go out," Neville said, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," Dove pleaded, "this is important."

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate. "I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll - I'll fight you!"

"Neville," Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot -"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" Neville said. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us," Draco said in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight. "Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

Dove turned to Hermione.

" _Do_ something," she said desperately. Hermione stepped forward.

"Neville," she said, "I'm really, very sorry about this." She raised her wand. "Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides, his legs sprang together, and before they could catch him- he fell onto his face with a snap and a whimper. Draco nodded approvingly, Ron looked at her warily, Dove just turned him over, feeling awful. His jaws were jammed together where he couldn't speak, but his eyes darted back and forth, frightened. Dove put a pillow under his head and kissed his forehead.

"I promise to explain everything later," she swore before following everyone else outside. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris sneaking about near the top.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Dove's ear, but Dove shook her head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her amber eyes on them, but didn't do anything.

They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

Dove had a sudden idea. "Peeves," she said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs. "So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake - I didn't see you - of course I didn't, you're invisible - forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," Dove croaked. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." And he scooted off

"Brilliant, Dove!" whispered Ron.

A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor - and the door was already ajar. "He's already gone," Dove said. She turned to the others. "I would understand if you all wanted to turn back. Take the cloak, I won't need it."

"Don't be stupid- "

"We're coming with you."

"Always," Draco quoted Ron, squeezing her hand. She nodded, pulling out the flute Hagrid sent her for Christmas. Once inside, she only barely had to blow on it before the three-headed dog's breathing slowed.

"Keep playing." Ron told her. "It probably needs constant music to stay asleep."

Hermione pulled the heavy trapdoor open with a grunt. "Who's going first?"

"I am," Dove said. Fluffy stirred, growling, and Dove pushed the flute at Hermione. With the first note, it slumbered again. Dove turned to Ron and Draco. "If something happens to me, don't follow. One of you go to the Owlery and send a letter to Albus. The other go get Daddy. Okay?" Ron nodded and she turned to the dark hole. You couldn't see anything at all down there. No way of knowing what awaited her. She took a deep breath and prepared to jump before someone pushed her backwards.

"NO!" Draco said, jumping himself. What if something awful was down there? He couldn't send Dove! He fell with a wet _smek_!

"DRACO!" The other three yelled after him in alarm. Fluffy growled, snapping at these intruders. They lunged down in a procession, Dove, Ron, then Hermione.

"Ugh!" Ron complained. "What _is_ this?"

"Draco!" Dove scolded. "Why would you do that?! You could have gotten hurt!"

"So could you!" Draco defended himself. "All the more reason for me to go first."

"Guys, what is this?"

"Some sort of plant I think. Hermione? How is everyone?" There was a chorus of everyone being okay, until there was a squeak of panic.

"Ron?"

"Something touched my foot!"

Tendrils from the plant began winding around them, tight, tight, and tighter. The faster they pulled at them, the tighter and faster they became.

"Wait! I know what this is! It's Devil Snare." Hermione informed them.

"Oh, I'm _so_ glad we know what it's called, that's a _great_ help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

"How do we kill it?" Draco asked.

"I'm trying to remember."

"Could you hurry?" Dove gasped, choking.

Hermione groaned. "Devil Snare, they like dark and damp."

"So light a fire!" Draco said.

"There's no wood."

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD? ARE YOU A WITCH OR AREN'T YOU?!" Ron bellowed, tugging off a vine from his chest.

There was a bright blue light, her infamous blue bell flame, and the four of them fell through the plant to the ground. Draco helped Dove up.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Lucky Hermione pays attention to Herbology."

"Lucky Draco doesn't lose his head in a crisis." Ron panted. "Honestly, 'there's no wood'?"

"This way," Dove interrupted, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.

All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. Dove shivered violently and looked around nervously. What would be next? A dragon? Norbert was bad enough!

"Do you hear something?" Ron whispered.

Dove listened. A soft rustling followed by a clink seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?"

"It sounds like wings to me."

"There's light ahead. I can see something moving."

They reached the end of the passageway and saw in front of them them a brightly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

They crossed beneath the strange creatures and tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.

"Now what?" Ron asked.

"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," Hermione said.

They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering - _glittering_?

"They're not birds!" Draco said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys -look carefully. So that must mean..." he looked around the chamber while the other three squinted up at the flock of keys. "Look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there have to be hundreds here!"

Ron examined the lock. "You're looking for a big, old-fashioned one - probably silver, like the handle."

Dove mounted her broom and went up, looking through as Draco joined her. They snatched and grabbed, but the enchanted keys darted away and tried to avoid them. It was almost impossible to catch one. Not for nothing, though, was Dove the youngest Seeker in a century. After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, she noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole.

"That one!" she called to Draco. "That big one - there - no, there - with bright blue wings - the feathers are all crumpled on one side."

"I got it!" He called. He leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Dove, Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.

They landed quickly, and Dove ran to the door, the key struggling in her hand. She rammed it into the lock and turned - it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered and dazed now that it had been caught twice.

"Ready?" She asked the other three, her hand on the door handle. They all nodded, and with a grin she pulled the door open.

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Dove, Draco, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly - the towering white chessmen had no faces.

"Now what do we do?" Dove whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Ron said in amazement. "We've got to play our way across the room."

Behind the white pieces they could see another door.

"How?" Hermione asked nervously.

"I think," Draco said slowly, sharing a look with Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at him.

"Do we- have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded. Draco turned to the other three.

"This needs thinking about," he said. "I suppose we've got to take the place of four of the black pieces..."

Dove and Hermione stayed quiet, watching the other two think. Finally, Ron said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess -"

"We're not offended," Dove said quickly. "Just tell us what to do."

"Well, Dove, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you next to her instead of that castle. Draco is going to be that pawn."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to be a knight," Ron said dramatically.

The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, a pawn, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving four empty squares for their replacements.

"White always plays first in chess," Ron said, peering across the board. "Yes... look..."

A white pawn had moved forward two squares.

Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Dove's knees were trembling. What if they lost?

"Dove - move diagonally four squares to the right."

Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

"Had to let that happen," Draco said comfortingly to Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Dove and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.

"We're nearly there," Draco muttered suddenly. "Let me think let me think..."

The white queen turned her blank face toward Ron and Draco stopped.

"Yes..." Ron told him softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken."

"NO!" Dove and Hermione shouted.

"That's chess!" Ron snapped. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me - that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Dove!"

"But -"

"Do you want to stop Quirrell or not?"

"Ron -"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

There was no alternative.

"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go - now, don't hang around once you've won."

He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor Hermione screamed but stayed on her square - the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out.

Shaking, Dove moved three spaces to the left.

The white king took off his crown and threw it at Dove's feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear.

"Draco, you have to stay with him. Make sure he's okay."

"I'm not leaving you."

"I have Hermione," Dove insisted. "Next is Daddy's. Hermione is good at Potions and she knows more spells than either of us." He nodded somberly, hugging her tight before she left.

A disgusting smell filled their nostrils when they moved to the next room, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Dove whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."

She pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line. "Dad's" she said. "What do we have to do?"

They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Dove looked over her shoulder to read it:

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, which ever you would find,

One among us seven will let you move ahead,

Another will transport the drinker back instead,

Two among our number hold only nettle wine,

Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,

To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:

First, however slyly the poison tries to hide

You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;

Second, different are those who stand at either end,

But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,

Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right

Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.

Hermione let out a great sigh and Dove, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing she felt like doing.

"Brilliant, he really is, " Hermione said. "This isn't magic - it's logic - a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

"But so will we, won't we?"

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which to drink?"

"Give me a minute."

Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands.

"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire - toward the Stone."

Dove looked at the tiny bottle.

"There's only enough there for one of us," she said. "That's hardly one swallow."

They looked at each other.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"

Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"You drink that," Dove said. "No, _listen_ , get back and get the boys. Grab brooms from the flying- key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy - go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Albus, we need him. And my dad. Get him. Once I have the Stone that's where I'm going to go."

"But Dove - what if You-Know-Who's with him?"

"Well - I was lucky once, wasn't I?" Dove said, terrified. "I might get lucky again."

Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Dove and threw her arms around her.

"Hermione!"

"Dove - you're a great witch, you know."

"I'm not as good as you," she said, very embarrassed, as she let go of her.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and _you_ taught me that - oh Dove - be careful!"

"You drink first," Dove whispered. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Positive," said Hermione.

"Only fools and charged particles are positive," she quoted Severus. "Whatever that means."

Hermione smiled weakly before taking a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.

"It's not poison?" Dove asked anxiously.

"No - but it's like ice."

"Quick, go, before it wears off."

"Good luck - take care."

"GO!"

Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire. Dove took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. She turned to face the black flames.

"Here I come," she said, and she drained the little bottle in one gulp.

It was indeed as though ice was flooding her body. She put the bottle down and walked forward; she braced herself, saw the black flames licking her body, but couldn't feel them. For a moment, she could see nothing but dark fire - then she was on the other side, in the last chamber.

"Hello, Professor."

He turned around with a nasty smile. "Miss Potter," he acknowledged. "I wondered whether or not you would be here tonight. Though, I almost bet to myself against it. What with Severus keeping you under lock and key these days."

"Your stutter is gone." She felt stupid for blurting that out, but it was what was throwing her the most. He sneered.

"Yes, well, I admit I rather enjoyed playing p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell. However, I did not expect to be suspected so early. You're too nosy to live, Potter. Strutting around on Halloween." He snapped his fingers and she was bound by rope.

" _You_ let the troll in?" She asked, struggling.

"But of course. I have a special gift with trolls, you see. You must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off - and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly.

"Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."

It was only then that Dove realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised. "This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell muttered, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this... but he's in London... I'll be far away by the time he gets back..."

All Dove could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror, but she couldn't think of what to say. Quirrell came back from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.

"I see the Stone... I'm presenting it to my master... but where is it?"

Dove pulled against the ropes binding her, but they didn't give. She had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.

"I heard you a few days ago, sobbing- "

For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.

"Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions - he is a great wizard and I am weak -"

"You mean he was there in the library with you?"

"He is with me wherever I go," Quirrell said quietly. "I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it... Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me..."

Quirrell's voice trailed away. Dove was remembering her trip to Diagon Alley -how could she have been so stupid? She'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.

Quirrell cursed under his breath.

"I don't understand... is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

Dove's mind was racing.

What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, she thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So, if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it - which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to?

She tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around her ankles were too tight: she tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored her. He was still talking to himself. "What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

And to Dove's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself

"Use the girl... Use the girl..."

Quirrell rounded on Dove.

"Yes - Potter - come here."

He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Dove fell off. Dove got slowly to her feet.

"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Dove walked toward him.

I must lie, she thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.

Quirrell moved close behind her. Dove breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. She closed her eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.

She saw her reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at her. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket - and as it did so, Dove felt something heavy drop into her real pocket. Somehow - incredibly - she'd gotten the Stone.

"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"

Dove screwed up her courage. "I'm with Dad, he- he's telling me how proud he is of me."

"She lies!"

Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"

The high voice spoke again. "Let me speak to her... face-to-face..."

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough... for this..."

Dove was frozen to the spot as Quirrell began to unwrap his turban from his head, which looked much smaller without it. She almost wished she was back at the Devil's Snare and it was swallowing her whole. Then Quirrell turned around.

Severus sat up straight in a panic. Dove.

"Severus?" Remus asked. "What's wrong?"

"Dove." He threw the blanket off and went to his wardrobe to get dressed. "Something's happened. Something's wrong."

"What are you- the spell. You used _puer salvus erit_ at Christmas. Is she okay?"

"She's terrified. Something's going on."

Then he was out the door with Remus right behind him. Severus followed the spell, presented by a golden thread between himself and Dove, to the third-floor forbidden corridor.

"She-she wouldn't."

"She did. I don't know how to get past the dog."

Remus laid a hand on his arm. "I have your back. I think between the two of us, we can handle it. Dove's in there."

Severus nodded and pushed through to find the dog, Fluffy was its ridiculous name, growling at the trapdoor. It was still open with an object or something on the floor beside it. The dog turned its heads toward Remus and Severus.

"Stupefy!" Remus cried. It hit Fluffy square, but all the animal did was shake its heads with a whimper.

"Great. You've pissed it off."

"Do you have _anything_ constructive to say?"

"Maybe next time try to _not_ to?" Severus made his way to grab the object, a flute. He looked back up at the dog and blew a note. It stopped cold and laid down. Severus, still playing, motioned Remus over so they could go down together. They landed with a cold, wet _smek_!

Dove stumbled backwards, away from the horrible face with glowing red eyes and slits for a nose. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't make a sound. Grab the locket, she told herself. Say the words and go to Dad. But she couldn't make the muscles move.

"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me... or you'll meet the same end as your parents... They died begging me for mercy..."

"LIAR!" Dove shouted suddenly.

Quirrell was walking backward at her, so that Voldemort could still see her. The evil face was now smiling.

"How touching..." it hissed. "I always value bravery... Yes, girl, your parents were brave... I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... but your mother needn't have died... she was trying to protect you... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."

"NEVER!"

Dove ran toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HER!" and the next second, Dove felt Quirrell's hand close around her wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Dove's scar; her head felt as though it was about to split in two. She yelled, struggling, and to her surprise, Quirrell let go of her. The pain in her head lessened - she looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers - they were blistering before her eyes.

"Seize her! SEIZE HER!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Dove clean off her feet' landing on top of her, both hands around Dove's neck - Dove's scar was almost blinding her with pain, yet she could see Quirrell howling in agony.

"Master, I cannot hold her - my hands - my hands!"

And Quirrell, though pinning Dove to the ground with his knees, let go of her neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms - Dove could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill her, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.

Dove looked at her own hands and laid them on Quirrell's face, smoke sizzling from where their skin met. They both screamed in different pain and Quirrell leapt away from her. She jumped to her feet and caught him by the arm, the pain in her head building. She couldn't see anything, only hear the shouts. Quirrell's in pain, Voldemort's "KILL HER!", and random voices in her head whispering her name frantically.

"DOVE!" And then blackness.

 **~~~~~  
HEY GUYS!**

 **I am so happy everyone is liking this. To answer a question: yes. As of this moment I am planning to go through all of the books, though it may be a LOT different than canon. I am always open to suggestions. There's one more chapter for this one and then we are on to the second book! I usually try to update every day or every other day, but here in the next few weeks I may not be able to. My fiancé's daughter is in the hospital so just try to bare with me on this.**

 **Love always- Skye**


	11. New

Chapter eleven: New

When Dove opened her eyes again there was a dark mass beside her. This time, she recognized that she was in the Hospital Wing- and the figure sleeping soundly in the chair beside her bed, was Severus. She smiled at him, vaguely remembering his carrying her. The bed was surrounded by cards, candy, and flowers. Was that- that was a toilet seat.

"Gifts from your admirers," came Severus' voice, thick and groggy with sleep. He sat up. "You scared me down there. What were you doing?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "Is Ron okay? He got hurt."

"Yes, Remus and I went after you and found him. He's perfectly fine, waiting for you. He, Draco, and Granger have been by several times. As well as a certain Fergus."

"It's Fred."

"Like that's any better." He leaned closer and took her hand. "I am so angry I can't even see straight, but you did well. I-I'm proud of how you did things, even if I disapprove of how you went about it- if that makes any sense at all."

Like last time, Albus came through, opening the double doors with his usual flourish of things. With him he brought Remus. "Well?" Severus asked. Remus nodded.

"It's done and ready. We can go at any time."

Albus smiled to Dove. "Well, my dear girl, everything that happened between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so naturally, the whole school knows about it."

"Why couldn't Quirrell touch me?" Dove asked.

Severus and Remus looked at each other and left Albus to answer. "Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."

That evening Fred snuck into the Hospital Wing to see her, and before she could warn him that Severus and Remus were right there, he exploded in strained whispers.

"Are you out of your mind? Going after Blaise Zabini at flying lessons, that was cool. Sending the dragon off to Charlie, amazing. Fighting the troll? That was great! Even the first Quidditch game was pretty fun after we were on the ground. But going after You-Know-Who? You could have gotten yourself really hurt. You could have died! Don't you ever do that again! Did you even think about telling Snape? He's a scary bloke, he could have handled it! Or me!" He stopped his ranting and looked at her, hurt. "Why didn't you come get me? I'd have done anything."

"Ahem." Fred jumped a foot in the air before spinning around. Severus stepped out from the shadows with a raised set of eyebrows. "Thank you, Mr. Weasley for that assessment of my person. Is there a reason you are out past curfew scolding my daughter? Not that I disapprove that is."

"Sorry, sir. I just wanted to make sure she was safe."

"She is."

"Right. Of course. I suppose I'll just be on my way then?"

"Good idea."

Remus chuckled when Fred left. "That was interesting. He really is a good kid, Severus. You should cut him some slack."

Severus grunted.

Dove's reunion with Draco, Hermione, and Ron consisted of Draco not wanting to let her go, Hermione crying, and Ron standing there awkwardly telling her he was glad she didn't die. The feast was superb, but with a twinge of dread. Tomorrow they would depart for the summer and while Dove was excited to go back to Spinners End, she loved Hogwarts. After the feast, Remus and Severus had her come to their chambers.

"Well," Severus started. "I've always thought about moving from Spinners End. It was my childhood home and I can't say I have many good memories there. Nor do I think it is somewhere I want you spending the summers exploring. So, we purchased a house outside of Devon."

"We wanted it to be a surprise." Remus said. "It has a huge back yard, three bedrooms, a great kitchen, a bigger basement for a potions lab…"

"It sounds wonderful," she grinned.

"Oh, but you haven't heard the best part." Severus teased.

Dove furrowed her brow. "What's the best part?"

"Well," Remus said in a wistfully glum voice. "You see we have neighbors. A rather large redheaded family who lives a ten minute walk away."

She furrowed them even more before her face lit up and she threw herself at them both. "Oh my Merlin, I have to tell Fred!"

"Not Ron first? Or Draco?" She blushed before making her excuses.

"Don't forget to write," Hermione said. "All of you."

"You will all have to come over this summer," Dove insisted. "Check out the new place with me. Well, Ron will be right there. But you two!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "We'll probably see each other just about every day anyway or have you forgotten that my mother likes _you_ best?"

"Hermione?" The girl in question hugged her.

"Oh I'll miss all of you! Of course! You and I will have sleep overs."

The four walked toward the boarding train together.

"Dove." Fred jogged up to the group with George. "Room for two more?"

"Always," she said with a shy smile.

"Mum! Dad!" Hermione dragged the others with her through the crowds of King's Cross to a middle aged couple. They smiled upon seeing her. "These are my friends. Dove Potter, Ron Weasley, and Draco Malfoy."

"It's very lovely to meet you, dears." Mrs. Granger said warmly.

Draco gave him poncy bow and kissed her hand. Ron smiled awkwardly. Dove grinned. "Likewise, Mrs. Granger. I was wondering if it would be alright for Hermione to come over sometime this summer?"

The parents looked at each other. "I don't see why not. Why don't we talk it over with your parents?"

"Dove."

"Draco."

"WEASLEY'S"

Right on cue Remus, Severus, Narcissa, Lucius, and Molly found their way to them. After introductions were made, stilted with the Malfoy's- not because of blood purity issues, but because they were so unused to Muggles, everyone said their good byes to each other with another round of promises to stay in touch.

"Let's go home."

 **~~~  
Short, I know, but I really want to move on. Should be up tomorrow or the day after.**


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